Let's face it, using fondant to ice a cake is typically the traditional way to do things but in factors of taste does it really stand up to the smooth texture of buttercream icing? Buttercream icing is becoming a very popular way of decorating cakes as it not only tastes great, but can be adapted to create beautiful colours and textures. But getting a cake to look professional using buttercream icing can be a challenge. Here at Crystal Clear Cake Stands, we have put together a step by step guide to icing your cake with buttercream to create a fantastic finish.

Step 1 – Making The Buttercream Icing

Buttercream is so easy to make that it is hard to understand why people choose to buy it ready made from the supermarket. To make a basic buttercream icing all you need to do is grab a large wooden spoon and a bowl or a mixer, and cream together butter and icing sugar, adding more icing sugar to suit your taste. The quantities of these can be adjusted to whatever sized cake that you want to decorate, but make sure you add nearly double the amount of icing sugar to butter to remove the distinctive plain buttery taste.

Step 2 – Applying A Base Layer

The first layer of buttercream icing isn't for show, but simply to just keep the crumbs from appearing through the icing and to help the other layers stick to the cake. Take a large dollop of buttercream icing and place it on the top of your cake and spread it all over the top and the sides aiming to cover as much as possible. Once completed place the cake in the fridge until it is set. This helps every other consecutive layer stick to it for a perfect finish.

Step 3 – Build Up The Layers

After the first layer has set, repeat the process again, but this time make sure that it is completely smooth by scraping across the top and sides with a smoother or ruler. This helps remove any excess buttercream icing and creates a completely smooth surface ready for extra decoration. Place in the fridge and repeat the process until the layers are completely smooth and you can no longer see the cake.

Step 4 – Add Some Decoration

Now that you have a perfect professional covering of buttercream icing, it's time to start thinking about decoration. Place the cake on your chosen stand and pipe some buttercream around the bottom of the cake to seal the gap between the cake and the stand. Place some figurines on the top or pipe on delicate flowers around the sides to finish off your master piece.

And there you are, 4 simple steps on how to apply buttercream icing like a professional, try it next time instead of fondant for a new look.


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