Creating A Semi-Naked Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

Semi-naked wedding cakes are a popular choice for bakers and couples alike. They are easier to put together than a standard wedding cake as you don't have to worry about the final layer of buttercream. The key to a beautiful semi-naked wedding cake is using good cake pans to make straight cake layers and a bench scraper to get straight sides.

To make a semi-naked wedding cake, you will need to level the cake layers, prepare the semi-naked wedding cake, assemble the tiers, frost the tiers, and decorate the cake.

Firstly, level the cake layers with a serrated knife or a wire leveller. Then, prepare the semi-naked wedding cake by checking the consistency of your buttercream and chilling the cake layers. Assemble the tiers by attaching the first layer of cake with a dot of buttercream and then alternating between fillings and cake layers. Frost the tiers by spreading the frosting from side to side and pushing it up above the top of the cake. Finally, decorate the cake with fresh flowers or other decorations.

Level the cake layers

Levelling the cake layers

Levelling the cake layers is an important step in making a semi-naked wedding cake. This step ensures that the cake is straight and has a neat outline. Here is a detailed guide on how to level your cake layers:

Tools

To level your cake layers, you will need either a serrated knife, such as a bread knife, or a wire leveller. Using a serrated knife is a more common method and most people will have one in their kitchen. However, if you are planning on making cakes regularly, investing in a wire leveller could be a good idea as it will make the process easier and give you a more professional finish.

Technique

Once you have your tool of choice, it is time to start levelling! Place your cake on a flat surface and hold your tool of choice firmly in your dominant hand. Starting from the outside edge of the cake, gently move your knife or wire leveller back and forth in a sawing motion, moving slowly inwards towards the centre. Try to keep your hand steady and apply light pressure to ensure a smooth and even cut.

If you are using a serrated knife, you may find it easier to spin the cake stand or turntable with your non-dominant hand, rather than moving the knife. This will help you achieve a straight cut all the way around the cake.

For the best results, it is recommended that you freeze your cake layers before levelling. This will help the cake hold its shape and prevent crumbs from getting everywhere. If you do not have time to freeze your cake, chilling it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour will also help.

Once you have finished levelling, you can move on to the next step of assembling your semi-naked wedding cake!

Prepare the cake layers

To prepare the cake layers, you'll first want to ensure your cake layers are level. This will help your semi-naked wedding cake have a neat outline and straight sides. Use a serrated knife or a wire leveller to level the cake.

Next, you'll want to chill your cake layers. Place them in the freezer overnight, or for at least 30 minutes. Chilling your cake layers will make them less crumbly and easier to work with.

Now, you can start assembling your cake layers. Start with the second tier, which will be the top tier of your cake. Use a thin cardboard cake board with a greaseproof lining, cut to the same width as your cake layers. Spread a small amount of buttercream onto the middle of the board, which will act as glue for your first cake layer.

You can now start adding your filling. You can either pipe or spread your filling. Since your cake is cold, you won't pull up lots of crumbs as you spread the filling. Line up the next cake layer so that it's directly above the first, and check that the sides of the cake are straight by getting down to eye level with the cake and spinning the turntable. Add your next layer of filling, and repeat this process until you've assembled all your layers.

If your filling is sticking out from the side of the cake, spread it to flatten it. Once your cake is assembled, you can move on to frosting—but if your layers aren't cold, put the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes or the fridge for an hour first.

Frosting the second tier

Start by frosting the top of the cake, spreading the frosting all over and pushing it over the edges to create a neat, sharp angle. Smooth the frosting by spinning the cake on the turntable and holding your offset spatula at a 45-degree angle. Then, swipe the spatula across the top of the cake to remove any excess frosting.

Now, frost the sides of the cake. Spread the frosting from side to side, which will help you avoid pulling crumbs off the cake. Push the frosting up above the top of the cake so that you can create a sharp angle later. Because your buttercream is softer than usual, the lip you've created should sink down instead of standing up.

Cover the whole cake, being generous with the amount of buttercream you use. This will help to minimise crumbs in the frosting. Scrape around the cake with a straight-edged cake comb to smooth it out, and fill in any indents with more frosting. Then, scrape again and remove the excess frosting, leaving a thin, smooth layer.

For the top edge, push sideways with your offset spatula to push the lip of frosting over onto the top of the cake. Swipe your spatula up and off the cake to remove any excess buttercream. Now, place the cake in the fridge while you make the bottom tier.

Assembling the bottom tier

For the bottom tier, you'll need a thicker, sturdier cake board to support the weight of the whole cake. Assemble the bottom tier in the same way as the second tier, attaching the first layer of cake with a dot of buttercream and then alternating between fillings and cake layers.

To pipe the filling, spoon it into a piping bag and pipe it around the edge of the cake, spiralling inwards to the middle. You don't need to cover the whole cake unless you want a thick layer of filling. Use an offset spatula to spread the piped buttercream into a flat, smooth layer, and then place the next cake layer on top. Check that the layers are lined up straight on top of each other, and repeat the process.

If you chilled your cake layers, work quickly, as the filling will set quickly and won't be sticky. Place each cake layer before the filling below it sets, so that the cake will attach to it. After placing the final layer, use a spirit level to check that the cake top is flat, especially if you're planning to stack another tier on top.

Check the cake from the sides to make sure it's straight. If your top layer is wider than the other layers, trim it with a serrated knife so that the sides of the cake are straight. You can now frost the bottom tier.

Frosting the bottom tier

If your cake layers are chilled, you can frost them straight away. First, recap these tips for neat semi-naked frosting:

• Make sure your cake is cold, so it's firm and less crumbly.
• Check that your buttercream is soft enough to spread easily.
• Use more buttercream than you think you need to minimise crumbs.

You can either spread or pipe the frosting onto the cake. If you're piping, start by piping around the bottom of the cake, and then zig-zag around the rest of the cake. Now, use your offset spatula to spread the frosting over the whole cake. It should glide instead of sticking and dragging crumbs.

Scrape around the cake with a cake comb to smooth the frosting, and fill in any indents with more frosting. Scrape around the cake again, doing touch-ups as needed until the frosting is smooth. Now, your bottom tier is ready!

Frost and smooth the top of the cake

Now that you've stacked your cake layers, it's time to frost and smooth the top.

Start by placing a bit of buttercream on the top of the cake and smoothing it with an offset spatula. As you smooth, turn the cake on your turntable. You should have enough frosting on the top of the cake that it extends about 1/4 inch beyond the top edges.

If you're using a turntable, you can skip the parchment paper. Just be sure to place a cake circle underneath so you can easily transfer it to your cake plate or stand after frosting.

Now that the top is frosted, it's time to move on to the sides. Using that same offset spatula, apply buttercream to the sides of the cake, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Since the semi-naked look involves buttercream that looks barely there, try to apply a pretty thin layer.

When you've got the sides covered, take your bench scraper and smooth the sides of the cake until they're straight and you have some nice areas of cake peeking through. If you have areas that need more buttercream, simply apply more buttercream and keep smoothing until you like what you see.

Try not to press too hard when you're smoothing the more "naked" areas, since you could puncture the cake layers and cause them to crumble. If this happens, just smooth it over with more buttercream.

Frost and smooth the sides of the cake

To frost and smooth the sides of a semi-naked wedding cake, you'll need to follow these steps:

Firstly, ensure your cake layers are completely level. Use a serrated knife or a wire leveller to level the tops of the cakes. This will make the cake straight and give it a neat outline. Flat layers will also add stability to the cake.

Next, place a small amount of frosting on your cake stand or turntable. This will help the cake stay in place while you frost it. Place the first layer on the stand with four pieces of parchment paper underneath. The parchment paper is optional but will make cleanup easier. If you're using a turntable, you can skip the parchment paper and instead place a cake circle underneath so you can easily transfer the cake to a plate or stand after frosting.

Now, pipe frosting around the edge of the first layer. This step is optional but will help ensure the frosting is even all the way around with a nice edge. Then, use a straight spatula or an offset spatula to add frosting to the top of the cake. Evenly spread the frosting, filling in the circle you piped.

Add the next cake layer upside down to make for a more level cake. Press it down into the frosting to remove any air bubbles and ensure the layer is stacked evenly. Repeat these steps for each layer, including the top one.

For a semi-naked cake, use your spatula to add frosting to the sides of the cake, starting at the bottom and working towards the top. Be as neat as you can, but don't worry about being perfect. You can add as much or as little frosting as you like.

Now for the fun part! Use a bench scraper to smooth out the sides of the cake and allow the cake to peek through. Don't push too hard or you may puncture the cake. Work in sections, scraping with one hand and turning the cake stand with the other. As you scrape, wipe the excess frosting off of the bench scraper into a bowl. If there are holes in the frosting, simply add more with the spatula, then smooth it out with the bench scraper until you get the look you want. The more perpendicular you hold the bench scraper, the more frosting you will scrape off. The closer you hold it to the cake, the less frosting you will scrape off, giving you more of a smoothing effect.

When the sides are done, smooth out the top edge. Holding your bench scraper or spatula parallel to the cake, smooth the excess frosting inward towards the centre of the cake. Try to make a level, sharp edge. Then smooth out the top of the cake so there's not a dome from pushing the excess frosting inward.

Gently remove the parchment paper or transfer the cake to a plate or stand. Touch up the bottom of the cake if needed.

Smooth the top edges

Now that your sides are looking so rustic and beautiful, you’ll probably notice a little buttercream crown has formed around the top edge of your cake. This is a really good sign because it means you’re going to have a nice, sharp top edge when you’re done smoothing it.

Using your offset spatula, smooth the buttercream crown inward, moving the buttercream toward the middle of the cake. The goal here is to create level, sharp edges by swiping through the buttercream crown and moving the excess buttercream across the top of the cake. Smooth the top of the cake until it’s level and you don’t have a dome in the middle from moving the buttercream crown inward.

If you’re finding that your buttercream crown is too high, you can use a bench scraper to smooth the top of your cake. Simply hold the bench scraper flat against the top of the cake and pull the excess buttercream off the top.

Now that you’ve created your very own semi-naked cake, it’s time to dress it up a little! Some awesome next steps would be incorporating some fresh flowers (made food safe) to decorate, doing a ganache drip, or keeping the design rustic with some greenery like fresh herbs or eucalyptus!

Frequently asked questions