Do you ever wonder how professional bakers mastered the art of beautifully frosting their cakes? Well, it’s a combination of access to the right information and tons of practice. You see, baking a cake is one thing, icing it correctly is a whole other skill that you need to learn. Whether you’re a professional baker or not, knowing how to put frosting on your cake is super crucial as it will complete the look and taste of your baked goodie. Luckily, there are a lot of tips on how you can frost your cake like a pro available from both online and offline resources today. But instead of sending you off to find them, I’ve gathered some of the most important ones right here.
- Gather Your Tools
Having the right set of equipment is essential in making sure that you will be able to frost your cake properly. Now, the number of tools you are going to use will likely depend on the size of the cake and the frosting method that you need to do. But to give you an idea, here are the most important icing tools that you must always have.
- Icing nozzles
- Icing bags
- Paper towels (Viva or any brand that doesn’t have embossed patterns)
- 9-inch offset spatula
- Turntable
- Icing smoother
- Fondant smoother
- Decorating comb
- Prep your Cake
Cakes don’t always come out of the oven with an even top surface. So, if you want your frosting to have that beautiful flat look, you need to trim the top part with a serrated knife. This will make it easier for you to spread and smoothen your frosting, allowing you to give your cake a more polished appearance.
- Lock the Moisture In
Dry cakes are bad, they mostly lack flavor and will just leave you thirsty. Prevent that from happening by brushing your cake’s outer layer with simple syrup. By doing this, you will be able to add more moisture to the cake, keeping it sweet and moist.
Pro-tip: Add spices, herbs, and other flavorings to elevate the taste of your simple syrup.
- Measure Your Frosting
One great way to ensure that you’re applying an even amount of icing on your cake is to measure it with the use of an ice cream scoop or your offset spatula. This will give you the ability to control just how much frosting you want, and it would also work great if you’re dealing with multi-layered cakes.
- Ice the Cake
When adding frosting to your cake, start from the bottom edges and then make your way to the top. Try to keep steady pressure on the bag while slowly adjusting the turntable using your other hand, this will allow you to apply a nice and even layer of icing.
Please keep in mind though that the side’s frosting should stick higher than the top edge of your cake. Why? Read the next part.
- Smoothen the Frosting
After covering the sides of your cake with frosting, the next thing you have to do is to smoothen it out. Get your icing smoother and position it against the side of your cake, then slowly move the turntable with your other hand. Keep your smoother as straight while moving it in upward and downward motions. Continue turning the table until you removed as much icing on the sides as you could.
Pro-tip #1: Don’t hold your smoother at a 90-degree angle, lean it in closer to the cake for faster and better removal of excess frosting.
Pro-tip #2: Wipe your smoother with a paper towel every now and then to avoid buildup.
Pro-tip #3: When you see dents, gaps, or air holes on the frosting, then just fill them with more icing and start using the smoother again.
Now that you’re done polishing the sides of your cake, time to take care of the top. With the use of the offset spatula – you can still use the smoother if you want – spread the icing towards the middle part of the cake. Your spatula should be positioned at a 45-degree angle as it can help in pulling the frosting and forming the corners at a much quicker pace.
- Start the Final Touches
Take a look at what you’ve done so far and check if the frosting is already what you want it to be. If it isn’t – or you’ve noticed dents, bumps, or air holes – then get a VIVA paper towel and place it gently on top of the area that you want to work on again. Apply a bit of pressure but not too much so you will not deform the cake. Get your fondant smoother and then rub the area in a circular motion. Stop only when the frosting blemishes have disappeared or when you get the texture you want. This method will also work well if you want to make the top corners of your cake look more prominent.
- Remove the Excess Frosting
Use your spatula to remove any excess icing at the bottom of the cake. Make sure that the only thing that your spatula will touch is the frosting buildup at the bottom edges. Remove the icing by pulling it towards you as carefully as possible.
When all the extra frosting has been scraped away, and the surface looks immaculately smooth, then you can start decorating the cake.
And we’re done. These are the things that you need to know if you want to learn how to ice your cake like a pro. They are steps that are very easy to follow, but keep in mind what I’ve mentioned at the beginning – Practice. Baking experts spent a lot of time perfecting the art of icing the cake, so if you want to get on their level, then you definitely have to put in time as well. So, what are you waiting for? Get that freshly-baked cake out of the oven, cool it down, and start frosting!