Waving Frosting Wedding Cake: Easy Techniques For Beginners

There are many ways to decorate a wedding cake, from fondant to Swiss meringue buttercream. One impressive technique is to create a wave effect with buttercream frosting. This can be done with a bench scraper or cake comb, and there are many online tutorials to guide you through the process. You can even add piped chrysanthemums for a colourful touch. When it comes to the frosting itself, a basic buttercream is made up of butter, powdered sugar, and milk or cream. However, there are many variations, such as American buttercream, Italian or Swiss meringue buttercream, and cream cheese buttercream blend.

Using a cake turntable

When picking a cake turntable, opt for a plastic one if you're a beginner cake decorator. They are easier to work with and clean, giving you time to learn how to use a turntable and get some decorating wisdom. Stainless steel turntables are better for holding larger cakes, but keep in mind that they are heavier and harder to manoeuvre than their plastic counterpart. When buying your cake turntable, make sure you prioritise features instead of looks.

You can also make your own cake turntable. This can be done by turning a mixing bowl upside down and placing a plate or an upside-down cake pan that fits the diameter of your cake on top. You can even use your microwave plate as a makeshift turntable. Take the ring out of a microwave and place it on a non-slip mat or drawer liner so that it doesn't slide around. Place your cake plate or platter on top and although it won't spin around as smoothly as a cake turntable, it will move much further and less shakily than if you tried to spin it on a bare table.

Creating a crumb coat

Preparation

Before you begin crumb coating, ensure your cake layers are completely cooled. If you frost a warm cake, the frosting will melt off. If you are short on time, you can place the cake layers in the freezer to speed up the cooling process. You will also need to prepare your frosting; a slightly thicker buttercream is preferable for the crumb coat as it will adhere better to the cake.

Applying the Crumb Coat

Add a small amount of frosting to the sides and top of the cake, spreading it evenly with a bench scraper or offset spatula. You only need a thin layer of frosting here, so the cake is just covered. This layer seals in crumbs and creates a smooth surface for the final coat of frosting. You should use around 1 cup of frosting for the crumb coat, depending on the size of your cake.

Smoothing the Crumb Coat

Once you have covered the cake, hold your bench scraper flat against the cake and apply slight pressure, peeling away any excess frosting. Deposit the excess frosting that builds up on your tool into a separate bowl, as it will be full of crumbs. You should be able to see the cake through the frosting, but there should be no dry cake exposed. The surface should be smooth and flat, ready for the final layer of frosting.

Chilling the Crumb Coat

Before applying the final coat of frosting, it is important to let the crumb coat set in the fridge. A rest of at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours, will ensure that the crumb coat sets before you add the next layer.

Now your cake is ready for its final coat of frosting!

Colouring the frosting

When it comes to colouring the frosting for a wedding cake, it's important to consider the type of colouring agent you will use. Food colouring comes in two main varieties: liquid and gel. While liquid food colouring is more readily available, gel food colouring tends to produce more vibrant colours. Additionally, gel food colouring is more concentrated, so you will need to use less of it to achieve the desired shade.

To create an ombré wave effect, you will need to divide your frosting into several batches and colour them in different shades of the same hue. For example, if you are creating a teal ombré effect, you will need to tint your frosting in three different shades of teal, ranging from light to dark. You can adjust the shade by adding more or less food colouring to each batch.

Once you have achieved the desired colours, it's time to start decorating the cake. Using a piping bag and a suitable piping tip, such as the Wilton's 1M Open Star Piping Tip, start piping the waves from the bottom of the cake, using the darkest shade of frosting. Gradually work your way up the cake, using the medium and then the lightest shade of frosting to create a seamless ombré effect.

If you are looking for a more subtle wave effect, you can simply tint your frosting in a single shade and pipe it onto the cake using the same technique. Remember to use a cake turntable to make the process easier and to achieve a more consistent finish.

Piping the waves

Piping waves onto a cake is a fun and impressive buttercream technique. It is a simple technique that can be created with a bench scraper of any size or even a cake comb for a textured look.

Firstly, it is recommended to apply a crumb coat and freeze the cake for 15-20 minutes before adding the second coat of frosting. This will create a firm base coat and prevent removing too much frosting when creating the wave effect.

For the wave effect, you can use a variety of buttercream frostings, such as Classic Vanilla Buttercream or Fluffy White Buttercream. Divide the frosting into three individual bowls, with one bowl having a little more frosting than the other. Color the bowl with a little more frosting in a darker shade, and the remaining half in an even darker shade. You should now have three different shades of your chosen colour.

Now, you can start piping the waves, starting from the bottom of the cake with the darkest shade and working your way up to the top with the lightest shade. You can use a piping bag and a piping tip such as Wilton 1M to create the waves.

There are also some additional tools and techniques you can use to enhance the wave effect. For example, using a cake turntable can help create smooth and even waves. Additionally, you can use a small rounded spatula to create a spiral on top of the cake for added decoration.

Achieving the right consistency

Type of Butter:

The brand and quality of the butter you use can impact your frosting consistency. Traditionally churned butter typically has a lower fat content (around 65%) compared to commercially made butter, which usually has 80-82% fat. The higher the fat percentage, the more heavy cream you may need to add. High-quality butter with a higher fat content, such as European-style butter, may require using almost twice as much heavy cream to achieve the right consistency. On the other hand, store-brand butter tends to have a slightly lower fat content, resulting in softer butter that is easier to work with and requires less heavy cream.

Butter Temperature:

The temperature of your butter also plays a crucial role in frosting consistency. Room-temperature butter should be soft enough to indent with your finger but not so soft that it squishes in the packaging. This is especially important when making temperamental frostings like Swiss meringue or Russian buttercream. American buttercream is more forgiving, and you can even leave the butter out overnight if desired. Warmer butter will require less heavy cream, while cooler butter might need an extra bit of cream to achieve the right consistency.

Kitchen Temperature and Climate:

The temperature of your kitchen and the overall climate can significantly affect your frosting consistency. If you live in a warm or humid climate, your frosting may become too thin or lose its structure as it sits at room temperature. In such cases, using less heavy cream or swapping out some butter for hi-ratio shortening can help stabilize the frosting. Hi-ratio shortening is designed for bakers and can withstand higher temperatures without sacrificing stability. However, keep in mind that shortening doesn't taste as good as butter, so consider using a 1:1 ratio of shortening to butter to maintain flavour.

Amount of Heavy Cream:

The amount of heavy cream you add will depend on the factors mentioned above. There is no magic amount that works for everyone, and adjustments may be necessary. If you're using milk instead of heavy cream, be aware that it will thin out the frosting more. Start by adding half the amount of milk specified in the recipe, and adjust as needed.

Testing the Consistency:

To know if your frosting is the right consistency, you can perform the spatula test. Firmly press a rubber spatula into your frosting and pull it directly up. The frosting should form a somewhat stiff peak with a little curl at the end. If it's too stiff, add more heavy cream (1 tablespoon at a time). If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) or chill it in the fridge for 10-minute intervals.

Frequently asked questions