How to smooth frosting on a cake
Video How to smooth frosting on a cakeRecently I’ve been making an attempt to get again to fundamentals. Whereas I’ve shared tons of my favourite cake recipes, I’ve by no means shared an in depth put up on how you can frost a cake easily. Are you able to consider it?!This in-depth put up reveals precisely how you can enhance and frost a cake, from begin to end.Reading: How to smooth frosting on a cakeIt’s nice for brand new bakers on the market or anybody who struggles to frost truffles with clean sides.I share what cake boards I take advantage of, how you can preserve your cake layers from sliding round, how you can crumb coat (or soiled ice) a cake, and naturally how you can get clean sides for a ravishing completed look.I’m additionally going to run by means of widespread points most new bakers run into once they’re frosting layer truffles! It will cowl questions like:
- Why are the edges of my cake bulging?
- Why are my cake layers sliding?
- How can I keep away from tearing my cake layers whereas I’m frosting a cake?
- Why is my cake lopsided?
- How can I stop my cake from sweating / having condensation?
I often work with American buttercream as a result of it’s my favourite frosting to eat, however this tutorial can be utilized with any sort of buttercream from Russian to Swiss Meringue.
The Instruments You’ll Have to Easily Frost a Cake
Contents
To set your self up for achievement, it helps to have the proper instruments. It’s not 100% essential to have all of those instruments, however they may make your life so much simpler in terms of cake adorning.
- spinning cake stand (that is my favourite, however a plastic stand like this could work too!)
- greaseproof cake board or fully flat plate
- massive and/or small offset spatula
- bench scraper
Step 1: Stage Your Cake Layers As soon as They’ve Fully Cooled
This primary step is to degree your cake layers! This ought to be carried out as soon as the cake layers have totally cooled to room temperature. In the event that they’re nonetheless heat they may crumble and also you’ll have an actual mess in your fingers.Use a serrated knife to rigorously degree the highest of every cake layer.It will make your cake a lot simpler to stack and frost, and helps keep away from bulging frosting or air bubbles that may get trapped between uneven cake layers.
Step 2: Chill Your Cake Layers
This step may sound odd, however I extremely suggest chilling your cake layers within the freezer for about 20 minutes earlier than assembling your cake.It makes them a lot simpler to deal with and minimizes crumbing.It additionally prevents your cake layers from sliding round as you’re frosting them.The chilly cake layers trigger the buttercream to stiffen up a bit, which makes your cake extra steady as soon as it’s assembled.In the event you make your cake layers upfront and freeze them, simply take them out of the freezer and unwrap them about 20 minutes earlier than you propose to make use of them.
Step 3: Stack Your Cake Layers
Then it’s lastly time to stack your cake layers! Begin by spreading a tablespoon of buttercream on the middle of your cake board or cake stand.It will act like glue and assist preserve your base cake layer in place as you construct this cake.Subsequent, unfold a thick, even layer of buttercream on prime of every cake layer with an offset spatula. As you stack your cake layers, ensure they’re aligned and straight.I like to make use of my bench scraper as a information and press it in opposition to the facet of the cake to see if the layers are aligned.As soon as your cake layers are stacked, press down on the highest layer with each of your fingers.This helps press any air that is likely to be trapped between the layers out. This little trick helps your cake layers settle earlier than you add your crumb coat.You need to press firmly sufficient to barely compress your cake layers, however not laborious sufficient to pressure the frosting out between your cake layers.
Step 4: Crumb Coat & Chill
As soon as your cake layers are stacked, cowl your cake in a skinny layer of frosting. That is referred to as a crumb coat, and it traps these pesky crumbs to make it simpler to get an ideal second layer of frosting.Read more: How to make cake less denseBegin by spreading a skinny layer of frosting on the highest of the cake with a big offset spatula, then unfold extra buttercream across the sides of the cake.As soon as the cake layers are totally lined, use your bench scraper to clean the frosting across the facet of the cake. You need to apply a reasonable quantity of strain.It ought to be simply sufficient to clean the frosting, however not sufficient to tear the sides of your cake layers.Scrape off the bench scraper after every move across the cake to take away extra buttercream right into a separate bowl. You don’t need to by accident combine your yucky crumb frosting again into your important frosting bowl.When you’ve smoothed the facet of the cake, use a small offset spatula to pull any overhanging frosting across the prime fringe of the cake into the middle.This movement can take a little bit of follow to get used to, however it will get simpler the extra you do it.The crumb coat doesn’t should be fully clean, however the smoother it’s the simpler will probably be to clean your second coat of frosting.That is additionally an awesome alternative to follow the steps you’ll take if you clean your second coat of frosting. It’s primarily the very same motions, simply with a thinner layer of frosting.When you’re completely happy together with your crumb coat, pop the cake into the fridge for 20 minutes or the freezer for five minutes. Chill the cake till the frosting is agency to the contact.
Step 5: Add on the Second Coat of Frosting
Take away your cake from the fridge or freezer and refresh your buttercream by giving it an excellent stir. I discover that as my frosting sits out it develops air bubbles.Stir your frosting with a rubber spatula for a pair minutes to get it again to a silky clean consistency. I additionally coloured my frosting purple throughout this step to make it simpler to see and {photograph}.Then add in your second layer of frosting. Unfold a thick layer of frosting on prime of the cake with a big offset spatula, then unfold extra buttercream across the sides of the cake.This layer ought to be fairly a bit thicker than your crumb coat. You shouldn’t be capable to see your cake layers at this level.Use your bench scraper to clean the frosting across the facet of the cake. The aim right here is to unfold the frosting across the cake extra so than to scrape it off.Attempt to maintain your bench scraper at an angle that’s nearly parallel to the cake. Apply a reasonable quantity of strain, and scrape off extra buttercream after every move across the cake.
Step #6: Patch the Frosting Gaps
After your first few passes you may discover some small spots or patches that want extra frosting.Add small dabs of additional buttercream to those areas, then clean once more together with your bench scraper utilizing barely much less strain.Repeat this course of till the edges of your cake are clean.
Step #7: Warmth Issues Up
As soon as your frosting is generally clean, it’s time for my favourite frosting smoothing hack. Run your bench scraper below scorching water and dry it, then VERY slowly clean the frosting with it.The warmth from the steel ever so barely melts the frosting, making a shiny, silky clean completed look.When you’ve smoothed the facet of the cake, there ought to be a lip of frosting across the prime of the cake. You’ll want to ensure the frosting goes up previous the highest of the cake as a way to get sharp edges in your cake.Use a small offset spatula to swipe the surplus frosting across the prime fringe of the cake into the middle, and take away it after every move. In the event you let the frosting sort of construct up within the heart, your cake may find yourself with a domed prime!It’s essential that you simply wipe the buttercream off your small offset spatula after every move, or else your edges gained’t look as clear.
Step 8: Preserve Practising
Also read: How to make a towel cakesThese actions won’t really feel pure or intuitive the primary few instances you frost a cake, and that’s completely okay! It takes a whole lot of follow to grasp them and acquire the muscle reminiscence.Even after making truffles for years, it nonetheless takes me 10-20 minutes to clean my second coat of frosting.It all the time appears to be like like such a quick course of in my movies, however that’s simply the magic of enhancing. It’s a gradual course of however is price it in the long run! Sluggish and regular wins the race ????
Troubleshooting
Whereas I’d like to assume you’ll be capable to frost a cake easily after studying this, I do know that typically issues don’t go to plan.Under are some widespread points folks run into when frosting a cake together with methods to repair them.For essentially the most half, leveling and chilling your cake layers is the reply to so many issues! It takes a bit of additional time however makes the method a lot simpler.
Why Are Sides of My Cake Bulging?
There are just a few various things that may trigger your frosting to budge out between your cake layers because it sits.The most typical trigger is that the cake layers haven’t been leveled, which might trigger air to get trapped between the layers. Utilizing leveled cake layers helps keep away from this, in addition to urgent down on the cake layers as soon as they’re stacked.One other chance is that your buttercream is just too skinny. It’s essential that your buttercream is the proper consistency if you’re assembling and frosting your cake.
Why Are My Cake Layers Sliding?
There’s nothing extra irritating than having your cake layers slide all over when you’re making an attempt to frost your cake.This may occur in case your cake layers aren’t chilled, your buttercream is just too skinny, or when you’re filling your cake with a tender filling like jam.There are some things you are able to do to stop this. I extremely suggest chilling your cake layers within the freezer for 20 minutes earlier than assembling your cake.It additionally helps to make use of a thick, steady buttercream (like my American buttercream).In case you are filling your cake with a tender filling, make sure you pipe a buttercream ring across the filling to maintain it in place and keep away from including an excessive amount of filling.
How Can I Keep away from Tearing My Cake Layers Whereas I’m Frosting a Cake?
In the event you’ve had your cake layers tear whereas frosting your cake, you could need to chill your cake layers and ensure your buttercream isn’t too thick.Some cake recipes are additionally simpler to frost than others, so when you’re actually struggling you could need to use a sturdier cake recipe like my vanilla layer cake recipe.
Why is My Cake Lopsided?
In case your truffles are turning out lopsided, it’s probably since you aren’t leveling your cake layers. Use a serrated knife to degree the highest of every cake layer earlier than assembling your cake.I additionally suggest checking your cake’s form as soon as it’s stacked to verify it’s degree. Some folks even use an actual degree to verify issues are correctly aligned.That is often for larger truffles like marriage ceremony truffles, however it’s a good way to examine!
How Can I Stop My Cake from Sweating or Having Condensation?
One other widespread cake situation is condensation. In the event you stay in a heat or humid local weather, that is tremendous widespread.Attempt to chill your cake within the fridge as an alternative of the freezer to attenuate the temperature shock, and preserve your kitchen as cool as potential! If in case you have a fan or AC, make sure you have them on as you make your cake.
Let Me Know What You Suppose
I hope this tutorial teaches you how you can frost a cake easily and helps you get the smoothest sides in your truffles!Tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets when you share your truffles on social media so I can see your superb creations.Read more: How to put flowers on a cake
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