A Question About Frosting a Cake (For All You Cake Baking Mamas)

I take the frosting and distribute blobs of it on the cooled cake. My mom told me the trick is then to spread the frosting in only one direction at a time. In other words, smooth it down in one stroke instead of dabbing at it or going back and forth which lifts the top layer of the cake. I use a plain butter knife with a smooth edge to do this.

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I don't know about making it stick, but to avoid crumbs, mix some powdered sugar with some water to get a bit of a thick consistency and then spread on the cake. Allow to dry and then spread on icing. It goes on a lot smoother.

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I use a homemade icing and do a crumb layer. It's just a thin layer you spread over the cake and if you get crumbs in it, that's ok. You can even water down the icing a little bit to make it easier to spread. Once you get that layer on, then you do the layer with the full amount of icing. Since you already have the thin layer of icing on, the full layer is easier to spread and smooth out.

If you are only using the premade icing, a crumb layer won't really work since the premade icing is so thick. So in that case, keep the strokes smooth and in one direction. You can warm up the icing in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to spread and less likely to stick.

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hi there, i usually apply a crumb coat put in the freezer for 10 minutes to set. Then apply the thick coat and it is easier to spread that way and you do not have to worry about the cake crumbs or peeling up since the thin layer is set onto the cake.So you can ice virtually anyway you want and dont have to worry about going in only one direction

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I used to work as a cake decorator. We always froze the cakes. Jen B. is exactly right as far as helping seal the moisture, and it makes icing the cake sooo much easier. We would also use a thinner frosting for icing, and the really thick stuff for decorating... if it was too thick to spread easily, a little bit of water won't hurt it, and makes life easier.

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Use a homemade frosting made with dairy free margarine, that will help a lot. The tub stuff is too thick. Put the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes before you put any frosting on it. Like others said, apply a thin layer of frosting all over. It will look messy. Put cake back in freezer for 30 minutes, then do your thick layer. Use an offset spatula and wiggle your wrist as you apply the last layer. There are lots of great videos on you tube. Search for crumb coating cake.

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It's the pre-made frosting. I never use it, and never have any problems with my cakes.

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If I were you I would use homemade. There are plenty of non-milk frosting and cake recipes online. Also, I wish your little one a happy b-day!

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Dip your knife in cold water a few times throughout the frosting process. This will also help to make the icing very smooth. Don't use too much water or when it dries it will cause the icing to crack.

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My cake trick is to freeze it overnight and then frost it the next morning. Freezing the cake locks in the moisture and makes frosting it sooooo much easier. It thaws by the time you are ready to eat it. People go wild for my cakes and think I do something really special to them. They are just the good old box cakes from the grocery store, and canned frosting to boot! I got the trick from a friend who does wedding cakes, and her cakes are so yummy. Plus you can easily blow the crumbs off before frosting. The way you do it is to bake the cake in whatever pan you like, immediately after removing it from the oven wrap it in a clean towel right in the pan and pop it in the freezer. It works like a charm :D Then cut it , frost it, do whatever you want to it the next day!

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My mom passed on this tip to me & she was an excellent cake decorator!! She would spoon on the frosting & then use a butter knife or cake decorating spatula to smooth out the frosting. Before she would smooth out the frosting, she would dip the knife in a glass of water & would get a great smooth finish. Hope this helps!

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