Preparing the Cake for Frosting

Frosting a cake to seal in freshness and to impart contrast in flavors and textures is simple. But frosting a cake for the purpose of decorating requires a smooth finish, which is somewhat more difficult to achieve.

It is important to begin with a level cake (see previous page for directions on how to split a cake into even layers). Besides looking more appetizing, it is easier to frost. You won’t have to adjust any unevenness, and therefore, you’ll need less frosting. When a level surface is especially important for your decorative finish, turn the cake right side up before you split and frost it. Remember that chilling or partially freezing some fragile cakes makes the trimming process easier and produces fewer crumbs.