Making the Cake

Icing the Cake

When you ice a tier cake, remember-crumbs are your enemy. They'll ruin the perfectly clean look you strive for. The trick to keeping crumbs out of your icing is to glide your spatula on the icing. Never allow the spatula to touch the surface of the cake. Some decorators prefer to "crumb coat" layers by lightly icing the cake first, allowing a light crust to form, then adding a top icing cover.

1. Place a large amount of thin consistency icing on the center of the cake top. Spread across the top, pushing toward edges.

2. Cover the sides with icing. Smooth sides first by holding the spatula upright with the edge against the side, slowly spinning your decorating turntable without lifting the spatula from the cake's surface. Return excess icing to the bowl and repeat until sides are smooth.

3. Smooth the top using the edge of the spatula. Sweep the edge of the spatula from the rim of the cake to its center. Then lift it off and remove excess icing. Rotate the cake slightly and repeat the procedure, starting from a new point on the rim until you have covered the entire top surface.

Smooth the center of the cake by leveling the icing with the edge of your spatula. For easier smoothing, it may help to dip the spatula in hot water, wipe dry, and glide it across the entire surface. Set the cake aside and allow the icing to crust over for at least 15 minutes before decorating. At this point you may also lay Wilton Parchment Paper on the iced cake top and gently smooth with the palm of your hand.

USING A WILTON #789 ICER TIP

1. Trim a 16 in. Featherweight bag to fit tip 789. Fill bag half full with icing. Hold bag at 45º angle and lightly press tip against cake. Squeeze a ribbon of icing in a continuous spiral motion to cover cake top, with last ribbon forcing icing over edge of cake top.

2. To ice the sides, squeeze icing as you turn the cake slowly. Repeat the process until the entire cake side is covered.

3. Smooth the sides and top with a spatula, same as above