Simple Cake Decorating Tip: Icing With Out Crumbs

I started decorating cakes when my daughter asked me to make her Wedding Cake. I did a lot of practicing when I first started. I would like to share with you some of the easy techniques I learned along the way. My first question was how do I keep cake crumbs out of the Icing while I am frosting my cake. Have you ever frosted a cake and been aggravated with the crumbs getting into the icing making the surface speckled with bits of cake. I can not stand crumbs in my icing. The answer I found that worked for me was to use the two layers of Icing method. The first layer is called a crumb layer. The second is the finishing layer.

Chill the cake before you begin. I usually set it in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes. Now dust any crumbs off the cake. Your icing should be room temperature.  This will make it easier to spread. Use a spatula to spread a thin layer of icing over your cake. Try not to let the spatula touch the cake. Once you have the first layer of icing on the cake let it sit to air dry for about 5 minutes.  Now spoon a large amount of icing in the center top of the cake. Using the spatula spread the icing out to the edge. Do not allow the spatula to touch the crumb layer. Use a sweeping motion from center to edge. Lift the spatula taking the excess icing off. Scrape the icing off the spatula returning it to the bowl. If there are any crumbs on the spatula or icing clean the spatula off with a paper towel.  Now you can frost the sides with icing. Cover the sides with icing. Hold the spatula straight up and down. Hold the edge of the spatula against the cake smoothing the icing as you turn the cake. Any excess build up of icing can be returned to the bowl. Continue until the sides are smooth. Sorry I do not have any photos of this process.

  This is a photo of a smooth cake top. It was taken before the top was decorated. ( one of my first practice cakes)

This is the same cake with the sides decorated.