Deborah Chan
Creating a smooth finish on a wedding cake can be tricky, but with the right tools and techniques, it's achievable. From crumb coating to using a metal bench scraper, there are several methods to achieve a flawless finish. It's also important to consider the temperature of your kitchen and the cake itself to avoid condensation and achieve the smoothest sides.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Keep the cake cool to minimise condensation |
| Tools | Metal bench scraper, thin acetate sheet, angled spatula, turntable |
| Technique | Apply crumb coating to shape the cake's foundation and reduce crumbs in the final layer of buttercream |
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What You'll Learn
How to frost a cake with perfectly smooth sides
To frost a cake with perfectly smooth sides, you'll need to follow a few key steps. Firstly, crumb coating your cake will help to shape its foundation and reduce the chances of crumbs ending up in your final layer of buttercream. Chilling the crumb-coated cake will help the buttercream to firm up, ensuring the layers and fillings don't shift while you frost.
Next, with your chilled, crumb-coated cake on a turntable, use an angled spatula to add a few scoops of buttercream to the top. Rotate the turntable as you smooth the buttercream down flat, holding the spatula as parallel to the cake as possible to achieve a level finish.
If you're using a metal bench scraper, try running it under hot water, drying it, and then using the warm scraper to smooth and slightly melt the frosting for a perfectly smooth look. A thin acetate sheet can also be helpful for achieving a smooth finish.
Finally, once the sides are smooth, drag an offset spatula over the top of the cake to smooth the frosting. Refrigerating the frosted cake will solidify the butter in the buttercream, giving the cake a firm outer shell that creates a clean surface for adding decorative elements.
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How to avoid condensation when frosting a cake
To frost a wedding cake smoothly, it's a good idea to crumb coat the cake first. This helps to shape the cake and reduces the chances of crumbs ending up in the final layer of buttercream. Once the crumb coat is chilled, use an angled spatula to add buttercream to the top of the cake, rotating the turntable as you smooth the buttercream down flat. Hold the spatula as parallel to the cake as possible while you rotate the turntable to achieve a level finish.
To avoid condensation when frosting a cake, it's important to minimise temperature differences. If you live in a warm or humid climate, chill your cake in the fridge rather than the freezer to minimise temperature shock, and keep your kitchen as cool as possible. If you have a fan or AC, turn them on while you make the cake. If you need to chill your cake layers, frost them in a cool room. If you're putting the cake in the fridge or freezer, wrap it in plastic first to protect it from moisture. If you're only chilling the cake for an hour, you don't need to wrap it, but for longer periods, use two layers of plastic wrap to seal the cake.
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How to use a spatula to smooth frosting
To achieve a smooth finish on your wedding cake, you'll need to use an angled spatula. First, crumb coat your cake to help shape the foundation and prevent crumbs from getting into your final layer of buttercream. Then, chill your crumb-coated cake in the fridge to firm up the buttercream.
With your chilled, crumb-coated cake on a turntable, use your angled spatula to add a few scoops of buttercream to the top of the cake. Rotate the turntable as you smooth the buttercream down flat, holding the spatula as parallel to the cake as possible. This will help you achieve a level finish.
Once the sides are smooth, drag the offset spatula over the top of the cake to smooth the frosting. Refrigerating the frosted cake will solidify the butter in the buttercream, giving the cake a firm outer shell that creates a clean surface for adding decorations.
If you're using a metal bench scraper, try running it under hot water, drying it, and then using the warm scraper to smooth and slightly melt the frosting for a perfectly smooth look.
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How to use a metal bench scraper to smooth frosting
To use a metal bench scraper to smooth frosting, start by running the scraper under hot water and then drying it. Then, use the warm bench scraper to smooth and slightly melt the frosting, just enough to give it a perfectly smooth look.
The warmth of the metal will help to melt the frosting, making it easier to smooth. This technique is especially useful for larger cakes, like wedding cakes, where it can be difficult to achieve a smooth finish.
To begin frosting your cake, start by crumb coating. This will help to shape the cake's foundation and reduce the chances of crumbs ending up in your final layer of frosting. Once your cake is crumb coated, chill it in the fridge. This will help the buttercream to firm up, so the layers and fillings don't shift while you're frosting.
With your chilled, crumb-coated cake on a turntable, use an angled spatula to add a few scoops of frosting to the top of the cake. Rotate the turntable as you smooth the frosting down flat, holding the spatula as parallel to the cake as possible to achieve a level finish.
Once the sides are smooth, drag the spatula over the top of the cake to smooth the frosting. Refrigerating the frosted cake will solidify the butter in the buttercream, giving the cake a firm outer shell. This creates a clean surface, making it easier to add decorative elements without making a mess.
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How to crumb coat a cake
To crumb coat a cake, you need to start with a chilled cake. This helps to reduce the chances of crumbs ending up in your final layer of buttercream. You can chill your cake in the fridge to minimise temperature shock.
Next, place your chilled, crumb-coated cake on a turntable. Using an angled spatula, add a few scoops of buttercream to the top of the cake. Rotate the turntable as you smooth the buttercream down flat. Hold the spatula as parallel to the cake as possible while you rotate the turntable to achieve a level finish.
If you want to smooth the sides of your cake, you can use a metal bench scraper. Run it under hot water, dry it, and then use the warm bench scraper to smooth and slightly melt the frosting. This will give it a perfectly smooth look.
Another tool that can be helpful is a thin acetate sheet. You can also use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the cake. When the frosted cake is refrigerated, the butter in the buttercream solidifies, giving the cake a firm outer shell. This creates a clean surface, making it easier to add decorative elements without making a mess.
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Frequently asked questions
Use an angled spatula to add scoops of buttercream to the top of the cake. Rotate the turntable as you smooth the buttercream down flat. Hold the angled spatula as parallel to the cake as possible while you rotate the turntable to achieve a level finish.
Crumb coating helps shape the cake’s foundation and reduces the chances that crumbs will end up in your final layer of buttercream.
Try to chill your cake in the fridge instead of the freezer to minimise the temperature shock, and keep your kitchen as cool as possible! If you have a fan or AC, be sure to have them on as you make your cake.
