Frosting a cake smooth

A smooth finish begins with the cake itself: high tops are cut even, and a dam of frosting is piped around the edge when the filling is something other than buttercream. Then comes a thin crumb coat, a first layer of icing that locks in loose crumbs, and the cake is refrigerated so the coat can set.

The finishing frosting goes on over the set crumb coat. It should contain no crumbs before decorating, so a cake that is crumb-coated first ends up with a much cleaner look. Smooth, creamy buttercream is the typical decorator icing for this step, and it takes color and flavor easily.

Buttercream will melt in extreme heat, so a smooth-frosted cake is best kept in a cool spot until it is served. The same smooth surface is the base for piping, writing, or adding fondant decorations.