Adding the Final Icing Coat
In order to achieve a smooth icing coat, it’s helpful to use room temperature icing, and re-beat it to restore the texture if it’s been refrigerated. Keeping your spatula and bench scraper clean throughout the different steps will also help. If you are covering a cake with fondant, you’ll want to ice it first, so the cake layers don’t show through and the fondant lies smoothly and evenly over the cake.
TOOLS:
- cake turntable
- large flat spatula
- bench scraper
Place a large dollop of icing on top
of a crumb-coated cake.
With a large flat spatula, smooth
the icing on top of the cake just until it peeks over the edge.
Smooth the icing around the edge to
create a small ledge around the top. This will help achieve
distinct, angled corners when doing final touches.
Spread the icing on the side of the
cake until completely covered. The goal is to keep the icing as
smooth and even as possible.
With a bench scraper, go lightly
around the side of the cake to make an even coat. This may take a
few tries.
Using the spatula and the same
swooping motion as on page 113,
bring the extra icing on the corners toward the center of the cake,
smoothing and evening out the top. Repeat until the edge and top
are completely even and smooth. Refrigerate the finished cake for
at least 1 hour before stacking the tiers and decorating.