Icing a cake

 

The all in one method is the simplest method for icing a cake with sugarpaste, if you want to cover the cake and board with a single colour.

If you want a different coloured sugarpaste, on the board, then this needs to be covered at least 48hrs before, and cover your cake separately.

If you are icing a cake that is a simple sponge cake, then it already needs to be covered in buttercream, and if you are icing a fruit cake covered with marzipan, then it needs to be dampened with previously boiled cooled water, or a clear spirit like gin or vodka, if you are covering the board with icing as well as the cake then this needs dampening also, otherwise the sugarpaste will not stick.

 

Kneading the sugarpaste is a really important stage in icing a cake with a sugarpaste covering, it should be done on a clean dry smooth surface, do not use icing (confectioners) sugar on the surface, as you will just be working it into your sugarpaste, making it dry out faster and causing it to crack when you apply the icing to your cake.

Work the sugarpaste until it is smooth and soft in consistency, the sugarpaste will harden quickly when exposed to air, so any sugarpaste you are not working with needs to be wrapped in cling film, (plastic wrap) but does not need to be refrigerated.

Ensure you have sufficient sugarpaste, when icing a cake, to cover the cake and board that you are icing, roll out the sugarpaste to about 1cm (half inch) thick, try and keep the sugarpaste roughly the same shape as the cake you are covering. If the sugarpaste goes out of shape, don’t be afraid to push it back with your hands or rolling pin.

keep moving the sugarpaste so the bottom doesn’t stick to the work surface, if you find it becoming more difficult to turn then fold the sugarpaste over your rolling pin and carefully raise the sugarpaste up so you can sprinkle a little icing (confectioners) sugar onto the work surface. Ensure the sugarpaste is rolled out to a size that will sufficiently cover both your cake and the board, when you are happy with the size of the sugarpaste, gently go over it with either a cake smoother or the flat of your hand to remove any ridges left by the rolling pin.

Place the rolling pin in the middle of your sugarpaste and gently flip half of it over the rolling pin, lift the rolling pin up and position the sugarpaste against one side of the cake board, turn the rolling pin to flip the sugarpaste over the cake and board, using the palms of your hands, carefully smooth the sugarpaste on top of the cake, moving from the centre outwards will help eliminate any air bubbles, then go over the top with a cake smoother.

Follow these guidelines for icing a cake of any shape.

See the following for each shape.

Icing a cake- round or oval cakes

Once the covering instructions for icing the cake top is completed, carefully ease the sugarpaste around and down the sides of the cake and over the top of the cake board. Use the palms of your hands again, to expel any air that may be trapped, then go over the whole cake with a smoother, trim off any excess sugarpaste around the edge of the board using a sharp knife that will glide through the paste. Do not use a sawing motion as this will leave the edge jagged and rough.

Icing square or hexagonal cakes

Once the covering instructions for the top is completed, gently pull the sugarpaste away from the corners of your cake and carefully spread it out, using the palms of your hands, gently ease the sugarpaste into position on the corners of the cake, then gently work the sides of the cake and top of the board, using your hands to expel any trapped air, go round the cake board with your palms, then go over the whole cake with a cake smoother, and finally trim off any excess sugarpaste using a sharp knife that will glide through the paste, as a sawing action will leave unsightly, jagged edges.

Icing number shaped cakes

It is impossible to cover a number cake and cake board all in one, so either leave the board plain or cover it in sugarpaste separately; at least 48 hours before you put the icing on the number cake.

After kneading sufficient sugarpaste to cover your cake completely, roll out enough sugarpaste to cover the top of the cake, then make an imprint into the sugarpaste using the frame/pan it was baked in, but invert it so the number imprints back-to-front, cut along these marks in the sugarpaste, using a pizza wheel will give you a nice crisp edge. Place the rolling pin in the centre of the sugarpaste, flip half over the pin and carefully lift the paste into position, lining it up on top of the cake (remember it should be covered with buttercream or jam first) turn the pin so the paste lays on top of the cake, and gently smooth over the sugarpaste to expel any trapped air, then smooth out the icing with the cake smoother.

For icing the sides of the cake, roughly measure around your cake, and the height, roll out the sugarpaste long and wide enough to take these measurements, carefully mark them out, using your pizza wheel cut the shape out, roll the strip of sugarpaste up loosely, then choose a start point on your cake (usually the back), take the rolled up paste and place it at this start point, then gently unroll it along the sides of the cake pressing the paste firmly to expel any air,

Join the paste at the point where you started, smooth the paste with your hands followed by the cake smoother, trim off any excess sugarpaste from the top edge of the cake and smooth the cut edge with your fingers, leave it to dry out for 24 hours before you start icing the cake further with piping icing etc.

If you need to transfer your cake onto a previously covered board then do so now, and remember to go over the whole cake again with the smoother to remove any nicks or scratches.

 

Icing a cake – novelty cakes

Using the instructions for icing a cake and board together, cover your novelty cake with icing, then when you have expelled any air bubbles and smoothed over the cake with your hands, use the clean cake tin (pan) place it carefully over the cake and press down, so that the detail is embossed onto the sugarpaste, then gently lift the tin off, trim any excess sugarpaste.

To finish icing a cake if you have covered just the cake and not the board, then try rolling a long thin sausage of sugarpaste, and wrap it round the bottom of the cake.

Covering boards with sugarpaste

Cakes are usually covered in sugarpaste along with the board all in one, but sometimes you can be icing a cake and give it another dimension, often creating a fabulous and dramatic effect, by covering the board separately in a different colour to the icing on the cake.

Follow instructions for preparing the sugarpaste to cover your cake, when you are ready to lift the paste, paint the cake board with cooled boiled water or clear spirit i.e.- gin vodka, so that the sugarpaste has something to stick to,

Lay the paste over the board and gently smooth out with the palm of your hand, expelling any trapped air.

Trim off any excess paste and finish the board by smoothing with a cake smoother, if you wish, crimp the edges whilst the paste is still soft, then leave it to dry for 48hours before icing a cake on it.

Filed under: cake decorating techniques

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