Icing A Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide To Success

Icing a wedding cake is an art and a science. There are many types of frostings and icings to choose from, each with its own unique flavour and finish. From fondant to Swiss meringue buttercream, the options are endless. The type of frosting you choose will depend on your personal preference, the design of the cake, and the temperature and setting of the wedding venue. For example, a fondant cake is perfect for intricate designs and can withstand warm temperatures, while a Swiss meringue buttercream is less sweet and fluffy but may not hold up well for long periods or in hot weather.

American buttercream

Ingredients:

• 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or flavoring of your choice
• 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, room temperature

Method:

• Prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
• Whisk butter until creamy.
• Reduce speed to low and add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
• Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of cream. Continue to whip on medium for 1 minute.
• Add more cream as needed until the desired consistency is reached (the recipe recommends adding all 4 tablespoons).
• Whip until the frosting is smooth and silky.

Tips for a Perfect American Buttercream:

• Whip the butter well before adding any powdered sugar.
• Sift the powdered sugar to get rid of any clumps.
• Add the powdered sugar slowly (1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time) and whip well in between additions.
• Once all the sugar is added, give it a good whip for at least 3 minutes, more if needed.
• Only add as much cream as needed to reach the desired consistency, and whip until completely smooth.

Icing a Wedding Cake:

When it comes to icing a wedding cake, there are a few factors to consider:

• The shape and number of cake layers.
• The decoration style (semi-naked, smooth, buttercream rosettes, large swirls on top, etc.).

To figure out how much frosting you need, you can use a buttercream calculator or chart. As a general rule, one batch (about 6 cups) of frosting is enough for a 7-inch or 8-inch layer cake decorated with buttercream swirls on top.

For a wedding cake, you may need to make multiple batches of frosting. It is better to have a little extra than not enough, as you can always freeze any leftovers.

When icing a wedding cake, start by filling and crumb coating the cake. Then, use a spatula or piping bag to add a thick layer of frosting to the outside of the cake, smoothing it out as you go. If you want to add any decorations, such as buttercream rosettes or swirls, do so after the initial layer of frosting.

Italian or Swiss meringue buttercream

Italian meringue buttercream is a thick and creamy frosting that is made by whipping egg whites with sugar syrup and softened butter. It is similar to Swiss meringue buttercream, except the sugar is cooked to 240ºF before being added to the whipping egg whites. The cooked sugar syrup results in a more stable and silky smooth buttercream.

To make Italian meringue buttercream, you will need the following ingredients:

• Fresh egg whites
• Sugar
• Butter
• Salt
• Vanilla

• Wipe down your bowl and attachments with lemon juice or white vinegar to ensure there are no traces of oil or fat that would prevent your meringue from whipping up.
• Place your egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
• Combine your sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan and stir to distribute the water evenly. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Leave the lid on for 5 minutes to ensure all the sugar granules are dissolved.
• Remove the lid and insert a candy thermometer. Continue boiling the mixture without stirring until the thermometer reaches 235ºF.
• Begin whisking your egg whites on high to soft peaks.
• When your syrup reaches 240ºF, reduce the speed of your mixer to low and drizzle in your hot syrup. Try to drizzle between the whisk attachment and the side of the bowl to prevent splattering.
• Increase the speed back to high and whip to very stiff peaks. Place ice packs at the base of your mixer to cool the meringue down to room temperature as you're mixing or remove the meringue once it's stiff enough and place it into the fridge for 15 minutes to cool it down.
• Once your meringue is completely cool, you can whip in your butter, salt, and vanilla until the buttercream is light and fluffy and no longer tastes like butter.
• Now you can add in food coloring if you desire.

Italian meringue buttercream can be left at room temperature for 2-3 days. It can also be refrigerated or frozen for longer storage. Bring the buttercream to room temperature and re-whip until smooth before using.

Swiss meringue buttercream is made by cooking egg whites and sugar, then whipping them to make a thick meringue, and whipping in butter. This frosting is light, creamy, and not too sweet. It is perfect for those who find traditional American buttercream too sweet.

To make Swiss meringue buttercream, you will need the following ingredients:

• Fresh egg whites
• Sugar
• Unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Vanilla extract

• Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer.
• Place the metal bowl of your stand mixer on top of the pot of water to create a bain-marie (or double boiler). The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
• Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt in the mixing bowl. Wipe your bowl out with white vinegar before making the meringue.
• Cook the egg white mixture until it reaches 110ºF (43ºC) and constantly whisk the sides of the bowl to distribute the heat evenly. You can use an instant-read thermometer, or your finger to check if the sugar granules have dissolved.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and transfer it to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. You can also use a hand mixer, but it will take longer to mix.
• Whip the egg and sugar mixture on medium-high speed for 10 to 15 minutes, or until you reach glossy, stiff peaks.
• Pour your meringue into a shallow dish and refrigerate it for about 10 minutes to cool to room temperature. You can also put your entire bowl of meringue into the fridge, but it will take longer to cool.
• Once your meringue is cooled, put it back in your stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment.
• Add the room-temperature butter and vanilla, and mix until combined.
• Whip the buttercream on medium/high speed until it is white, fluffy, and doesn't taste buttery. This can take 8-10 minutes.
• Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream very smooth and remove air bubbles. This step is optional but will result in a creamier frosting.

Swiss meringue buttercream can be refrigerated or frozen for longer storage. Bring the buttercream to room temperature and re-whip until smooth before using.

Cream cheese buttercream blend

To make a cream cheese buttercream blend, you will need the following ingredients:

• Cream cheese—use only full-fat brick cream cheese for the best flavour, not reduced-fat cream cheese or cream cheese spread.
• Powdered sugar—sift it after measuring for the smoothest and silkiest texture.
• Unsalted butter—slightly cold.
• Heavy whipping cream.
• Vanilla extract.

You can also add a little salt to taste.

The recipe is simple: First, beat your butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all of it is incorporated nicely. Once it's all blended, turn your mixer to low speed and gradually add your powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat for another 3-5 minutes.

This cream cheese buttercream blend can be stored in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for at least a month. Let it come to room temperature and beat until smooth before using.

To ice a wedding cake, you will need a cake board, a turntable stand, and a cake smoother. Place the cake on top of a cake covered with buttercream. Use a cake smoother to smooth the fondant icing onto the top surface of the cake and then down the sides. Be careful not to create any pleats or folds. Trim off the excess icing with a sharp knife and neaten the bottom edge against the cake board. You can continue to work over the icing with the cake smoother to ensure a smooth finish with sharp edges.

Fondant

Preparation

Before you begin to ice your cake with fondant, you should prepare your cake by covering it with either buttercream, ganache, royal icing, or jam. This will help to create a smooth surface for the fondant to stick to. If you use marzipan, allow it to dry for three days before applying the fondant. If using buttercream, allow it to firm up.

Kneading

Knead your fondant until it is soft and pliable. This will ensure it is the right temperature and consistency for rolling out. If you are using food colouring, add it while kneading.

Rolling

Lightly dust your surface with icing sugar and roll out the fondant to a thickness of 3-4mm. Drape the fondant over your rolling pin and carefully unroll it over your pre-covered cake.

Smoothing and Trimming

Smooth the fondant onto the top surface of the cake and then down the sides, being careful not to create any pleats or folds. Trim off any excess fondant at the bottom with a sharp knife, ensuring the fondant reaches the very bottom of the cake. You can use a cake smoother to create a smooth finish with sharp edges.

Drying

Leave the cake uncovered at room temperature for a few days to allow the fondant to harden slightly. Do not refrigerate the cake, as this will cause the fondant to become sticky and shiny.

Ganache

Preparing the Ganache:

First, you will need to prepare the ganache. The basic ratio for making chocolate ganache is two parts chocolate to one part cream. However, the ratio can be adjusted depending on the type of chocolate and the weather conditions. For example, dark chocolate ganache typically uses a 2:1 ratio, while milk chocolate ganache may require a 3:1 ratio. It is important to use high-quality chocolate with a cacao content of around 35-55%. For the cream, use heavy whipping cream with a milk fat content of at least 36%.

Making the Ganache:

To make the ganache, start by chopping the chocolate into small pieces. Then, heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just starts to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes to melt the chocolate. Cover the bowl to trap the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the mixture until the chocolate and cream are fully combined and smooth. If there are still unmelted pieces of chocolate, place the bowl back on low heat and stir until smooth.

Adding Flavour and Colour:

At this point, you can add flavourings and colourings to your ganache. For example, you can stir in a few drops of extract (such as vanilla, peppermint, coffee, or orange), peanut butter, instant espresso powder, orange zest, or liqueurs. To colour the ganache, you can use gel food colouring. Add the colouring a little at a time and stir well to achieve the desired shade.

Letting the Ganache Set:

Once you have made the ganache, you will need to let it set before using it to ice your wedding cake. Cover the ganache and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before pouring it over a cake. If you are using the ganache for filling or frosting, cover it and refrigerate for about an hour or until it cools and thickens. The ganache should be spreadable and easy to work with.

Icing the Wedding Cake:

Now it's time to ice your wedding cake! Here is a general step-by-step guide:

• Level your cake layers by slicing off the mounded tops using a serrated knife.
• Flip the cake upside down so you have a nice level surface to work on.
• Pipe the ganache onto the cake in a swirl pattern. This is the easiest and fastest way to frost a cake evenly.
• Spread the ganache to fill any gaps on the top of the cake.
• Add the next cake layer and pipe ganache around the sides, from the base to the top edge.
• Pipe ganache onto the surface of the cake in the same coil pattern.
• Smooth the ganache roughly with a small palette knife or butter knife. Don't worry about making it perfectly smooth at this stage.
• Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to let the ganache firm up. This will make it easier to work with and create a smoother finish.
• Remove the cake from the fridge and let it soften for a few minutes if it has been chilled for a long time.
• Use a combination of large and small palette knives to smooth

Frequently asked questions