Cutting Your Double Barrel Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

A double-barrel cake is a two-tiered cake with both tiers being the same width, giving it the appearance of one tall cake. When cutting a double-barrel cake, you cut down to the board that separates the tiers. Once the top tier has been served, the cardboard is removed to cut the second tier. This type of cake is often used for weddings or large celebrations, where an impressive and grand cake is desired.

How to assemble a double-barrel cake

To assemble a double-barrel cake, you will need two cakes of the same size, baked and cooled. The cakes will need to be cut in half, so you have four layers in total.

Place a layer of sugar syrup on each cake half. Then, put a blob of buttercream on a sturdy cake board and place the first cake half upside down on the board.

Spread a thick layer of buttercream (at least 1 cm) between each cake layer, using a palette knife. Be sure to gently squeeze down on each cake layer as you go.

Once you have stacked all the layers, use a palette knife to crumb coat the cake. This will seal in any crumbs and create a smooth base for the final layer of frosting. Use a 'queen wave' motion with the knife, working in an anti-clockwise direction. You can then chill the crumb coat in the fridge for 10 minutes, if desired.

Add a second, thicker layer of buttercream on top of the crumb coat. This will be the base for your final coat of frosting or messy icing. Pile on the buttercream, ensuring it overflows over the edge, as this will make the top easier to decorate.

To decorate the top, add more buttercream and spread it evenly across the cake. Use a wave motion with the tip of the palette knife to create a 'messy' icing finish.

Finally, decorate the cake with flowers and ribbon. Ensure any fresh flowers are washed and cleaned correctly if the cake is to be eaten.

How to cut and serve a double-barrel cake

A double-barrel cake is a two-tiered cake with both tiers being the same width. Each layer is 2–3 inches tall, and the overall height of the cake is around 8–12 inches. The tiers can be 2 or 3 layers each.

To cut and serve a double-barrel cake, follow these steps:

• Cut down to the board that separates the tiers.
• Once the top tier has been served, remove the cardboard to cut the second tier.
• Cut and serve the top cake.
• Remove the support board.
• Cut and serve the bottom cake.

Tools and equipment for cake decorating

Before you start decorating your cake, it's important to prepare. Firstly, ensure you have the right-sized pan for your cake and prep it by coating it with shortening or flour, then adding parchment, grease, and a final coat of flour. To ensure your cake layers turn out flat, add batter to a pan and smack it against the countertop to see if it spreads evenly.

Once your cake is out of the oven, remove any loose crumbs to ensure the frosting sticks. Then, keep your surface plate or turntable stand clean by sliding waxed paper underneath your cake. After baking your cake, apply a thin layer of a "crumb coat" or frosting to catch any stray crumbs.

There are many cake-decorating techniques, but some of the most common ones include spatula icing (adding icing to a cake with a spatula), piping (which requires a silicone piping bag), fondant work, hand painting, sugar work, mirror glaze, and airbrushing. Here is a list of tools that will help you achieve these decorating techniques:

• Icing spatulas: These are extremely versatile. You can use them to apply buttercream to cakes before smoothing them, create sharp edges, add texture to cakes, and more. It's best to have a few sizes on hand for different tasks.
• Cardboard cake rounds: These make it much easier to transfer the cake off the turntable and onto a stand or into a box.
• Piping bags: You can use a ziplock bag in a pinch, but it's more efficient to have piping bags on hand. The 16-inch size is good because it holds enough to pipe a lot of buttercream but can also be trimmed down into smaller bags.
• Piping tips: These attach to the end of your piping bag and allow you to create decorative borders and designs.
• Cake leveler: This is handy for cutting off domed or misshapen tops and ensuring all your layers are the exact same height.
• Food colouring: It's fun to incorporate colour into your cake decorating! AmeriColor is a good brand because they don't add any weird flavour to your buttercream, they're super concentrated, and they come in a wide range of colours.
• Sprinkles: Sprinkles are the perfect finishing touch for nearly any cake design.
• Cake turntable: Using a rotating cake stand or turntable allows you to spin the cake as you frost it, so you can easily smooth out any imperfections.
• Mini offset spatulas: These are the tool of choice for creating both clean lines and dramatic whirls of frosting.
• Parchment paper: This is key for ensuring that chunks of cake don't get stuck to the bottom of the pan. It's also useful when frosting a cake, as you can tuck strips of paper underneath the perimeter of the cake before you slather on the buttercream.
• Fondant tools: If you're working with fondant, you'll need a fondant decorator brush, a fondant cutter, a fondant rolling pin, a fondant imprint mat, and fondant and gum paste carving tools.
• Cake lifter: This tool is perfect for efficiently transporting a cake without worrying about it slipping out of your hands or messing up its design.
• Cake tins: Cake tins allow you to bake individual cakes of various shapes and sizes.
• Icing combs: These create sharp, clean ridges in your frosting.
• Cake boards: These are thick materials used to support cakes and facilitate their transportation.
• Baking cup moulds: These are non-sticky, food-grade silicone moulds that are soft and provide better protection for what you're baking.
• Acetate sheets: This clear plastic is great for wrapping your dessert, giving a sheen to tempered chocolate, and creating thin chocolate bands that circle cakes.

How to crumb coat a cake

A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting spread around the entire surface of the cake, locking in any loose crumbs and keeping your outer shell of frosting perfectly smooth. It is the secret to a professional-looking cake. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to crumb coat a cake:

• Prepare and stack your cake layers: Start with levelled cake layers that have cooled completely (for at least 2-3 hours). If you don't have time, you can pop them in the freezer. You will also need to prepare your frosting; a slightly thicker buttercream is preferable for the crumb coat.
• Gather your supplies: You will need a bench scraper or a large offset spatula. A bench scraper will give you the cleanest finish, while an offset spatula gives you more control. A rotating cake stand is also helpful but not essential.
• Crumb coat your cake: Spread a small amount of frosting on the sides and top of your cake, using your bench scraper or offset spatula to cover the cake evenly. You only need a small amount of frosting to seal in the crumbs and create a smooth surface for the final layer of frosting.
• Remove excess frosting: Hold your bench scraper flat against the cake, applying slight pressure and peeling away excess frosting. Deposit the excess (crumb-laden) frosting into a separate bowl.
• Let the crumb coat set: Before adding the final layer of frosting, let your crumb-coated cake set in the fridge for 15 minutes to 2 hours.

Now your cake is ready for the final layer of frosting!

How to frost a double-barrel cake

A double-barrel cake is an extra-tall cake, and frosting it can be tricky. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to frost a double-barrel cake:

Preparation

Before you start frosting, there are a few steps you should take to prepare your cake:

• Let your cake layers cool. You can even chill them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to minimise the chance of the cake crumbling.
• If your cake layers are domed, consider cooling them upside down to reduce this effect. You may need to cut off the domes before frosting.
• Use a dab of frosting on your cake stand or plate to help keep the bottom layer in place.
• If using a plate, place it on a tall, stable surface to give you a better view of the cake while frosting.
• Position the bottom layer of the cake over parchment paper, centring it evenly.
• If your stand or plate is wider than the cake, wedge strips of parchment paper around the edge to catch any spills.

Frosting

Now you are ready to start frosting:

• Cover the top of the first layer with frosting. Use a spoon to spread the frosting evenly over this layer, hanging over the edge on all sides.
• Stack the second layer gently on top of the first.
• Repeat the process, covering the second layer with frosting. Try to use the same amount of frosting for each layer so that your cake has an even appearance once cut.
• If your layers were cut from one cake, turn the top layer upside down so that the outside surface is smooth and relatively crumb-free.
• Frost the sides of the cake using a piping bag.
• Spread the excess frosting from the tops of both layers thinly over the sides of the cake. This is the "crumb coat", which prevents crumbs from falling off the cake.
• Chill the cake in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Add another thicker layer of frosting to the sides of the cake.
• Smooth the frosting with a cake scraper or a spatula. If using a spatula, dip the tool in a little water first to soften the frosting and make it easier to spread smoothly.

Decorating

Now that your cake is frosted, you can add some decorations:

• Fill a piping bag with frosting and practice piping on parchment paper until you get the hang of it.
• Pipe decorations around the border of the cake, such as a ruffled cake border using a piping tip with a wavy or star shape.
• Try more complex piping decorations, such as a design on a square of parchment paper that can be chilled and then carefully transferred to the top of the cake.
• Sprinkle edible decorations on top, such as sprinkles, chopped nuts, crumbled cookies, or small candies.
• Create complex designs with fondant, a type of dough-like icing that can be purchased or made at home.
• Decorate with fruit, such as small slices of fruit or strawberry fans, which are often used on lemon cakes or cakes with light frosting.
• Use a paper lace pattern or an old lace doily and a sifter to sprinkle powdered sugar or cocoa powder over the cake to create a lace pattern.

Frequently asked questions