Assembling a layer cake

Assembly starts with fully cooled cake layers, trimmed flat with a serrated knife if they have domed. The first layer goes on a board or turntable with a dab of frosting to anchor it. Each layer can be brushed with simple syrup for moisture, then topped with an even layer of filling; a piped ring of stiff frosting around the edge keeps soft fillings like curd or jam from leaking out.

After stacking, the cake gets a thin crumb coat to trap loose crumbs and is chilled until firm. A final, thicker layer of frosting is then smoothed with an offset spatula and bench scraper before decorating.