Planning on making a cake from scratch this Christmas? Even if you’re a whiz at baking, creating a smooth, attractive frosted cake can be challenging. Here are my three main tips for frosting a beautiful cake!
Wait For the Cake to Cool
Nothing has tested my patience like baking. As much as you may want to frost a cake the moment it comes out of the oven, frosting a cake that is not entirely cool will be a messy, muddy disaster. Wait for it to cool for a few hours or overnight if necessary. If you are in a time crunch, pop the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes, so it cools enough for you to frost it.
Don’t Skip the Crumb Layer
If you forget the crumb coat, the roughly applied thin layer of buttercream placed before the final layer, your cake will be clumpy with loose cake crumbs. By applying a thin layer of frosting before finishing the job, you will trap the loose crumbles in the initial layer instead of them maring the perfection of your pretty cake.
Top First, Sides Later
Frost the top first, then the sides. This ensures that the top of the cake is even and blends well with the sides of the cake.