Story Idea
book excerpt: “Five Tips for Frosting Cakes,“ from THE BIRTHDAY CAKE BOOK
Print or online media may reprint this excerpt with the following attribution: “Excerpted from The Birthday Cake Book, by Dede Wilson. (c) 2008, and used by permission of The Harvard Common Press.”
Five Tips for Frosting Cakes
1. Make sure the frosting is soft and spreadable. If it is just a little bit too cold or stiff, it will not apply smoothly.
2. Use a precut cardboard under the cake that is the same size and shape as the cake, to help guide the icing spatula when applying the crumb-coat and smooth final coating.
3. Keep the icing spatula gliding on top of the frosting. Do not let it touch the cake or you will bring crumbs up into the frosting.
4. Always make a thin crumb-coat to seal in crumbs. The final frosting layer will apply much more easily.
5. When using a pastry bag, fill the bag only halfway. Make sure that the frosting is soft and creamy enough to flow smoothly through the tip.
