How to Frost a Cake & Easy Decorating Ideas

With a few simple techniques and inexpensive tools, a showstopping centerpiece of a cake is within reach for any home baker. Here are my chef's tips for how to frost a cake like a professional, and a few quick and easy decorating ideas, too.

Jump to:

• The Story
• Equipment
• Before You Start
• The Method
• Easy Decorating Ideas
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Edible Epilogue
• 📖 Recipe
• More Desserts
• ET Throwback
• 💬 Reviews

The Story

All professional bakers and pastry chefs employ the same approachable techniques to create stunning layer cakes of Instagram infamy. While working at the popular SusieCakes Bakery in Los Angeles, I learned you don't need elaborate tools or equipment to decorate a dazzling cake. As a private chef, I often use only an offset spatula and a kitchen spoon to create fun celebration cakes for clients.

Equipment

While you certainly don't need to run out and buy a revolving cake stand, if you enjoy baking and decorating cakes it can be worth it. But even with a flat plate or baking pan turned upside down, you can achieve the same beautiful end. Here are a few tools and supplies that can take your cake decorating to the next level. And make the process much easier.

• cake board(s)
• parchment paper
• small and/or large flexible offset spatula
• flexible or stainless steel bench scraper
• cake decorating turntable

Buying Cake Boards

You can buy all different sizes of cake boards at craft stores, online, or at any restaurant supply store. When baking cakes for clients, I first place the cake on a board the exact size as the cake itself. Then after I finish decorating, I place the cake on a slightly larger, decorative board for delivery.

If your cake doesn't need to travel, you don't really need a cake board. You can place your showstopper on a flat plate or cake stand with cut parchment underneath. The removable bottom from a tart or springform pan works great, too.

Parchment Strips

If you don't have a cake board and/or you plan to decorate your cake on a plate or stand, use parchment paper strips to keep it tidy. Cut a few long strips of parchment or even wax paper. Then place them on the cake stand before setting down your first layer. This will keep any drips of buttercream from messing up your final presentation. When finished decorating, gently pull the parchment strips away.

Before You Start

It can be tempting to dive right into decorating your cake as soon as it's baked. But fight the urge. Attempting to spread buttercream and the like on even slightly warm layers of cake will cause the butter to melt. Or worst-case scenario, a sliding avalanche of chocolate.

Room Temperature Ingredients

Whether you choose to whip up your own homemade French buttercream, meringue, cream cheese frosting, or chocolate ganache, bring it to room temperature. If you whipped buttercream ahead of time and chilled it, beating it again briefly can work air back into the butter and revive it. The same goes for chocolate ganache, which needs to be kept cold before serving.

At a minimum, your cake should be completely cool and at room temperature. But chilled or frozen is best. In many professional bakeries, freezing cake layers in advance of decorating is standard practice. Cold, or better yet, rock-solid cake layers give off significantly fewer crumbs during frosting. If you chill or freeze cake layers ahead, trim any domed tops off with a serrated knife first. Then wrap or seal cake layers tightly before freezing.

Simple Syrup

This is the ultimate bakery secret! Which maybe isn't so much a secret. But it's why cakes from your favorite sweet shop are notoriously moist and delicious. When building your cake, brush or drizzle simple syrup on each layer after stacking it on, but before frosting it. 

To make simple syrup, bring one cup of sugar and one cup of water just to a boil, then cool. You can add flavor by replacing the water with pure fruit juice. Or steep the warm syrup with citrus peel or fresh herbs for 10 to 15 minutes. Homemade syrups are also a great way to ditch soda and enjoy carbonation healthfully, while you're at it.

For an adult soirée, skip the simple syrup and brush the layers with a liqueur. Choosing a fruit, coffee, or chocolate-based liqueur is a great way to enjoy your booze and eat it, too.

The Method

The first step in frosting a cake is to gather your ingredients, equipment, and tools. We classically-trained chefs call this mise en place. In English, it means everything in place. Having all your equipment and ingredients at arm's reach makes any kitchen venture smoother.

As for the professional process, bakers first build the layers into a stacked cake with a thin covering of buttercream called a "crumb coat". The cake is then chilled so the frosting hardens, locking in pesky crumbs. Last, a second, slightly thicker layer of buttercream is applied and smoothed. Often the cake is chilled again before the decorators work on the final designs. Hard buttercream makes it easier to carefully scrape away mistakes.

Step 1: Trim & Halve the Layers

For a super sleek cake, trim any domed tops off the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife. Trimming cake layers to be perfectly flat makes stacking the layers easier and prevents lopsided cakes.

For showstopping slices of cake, cut your layers in half horizontally. Classical bakers called this step "torte", as the thinner cake layers are in the style of European tortes. But only do this if your layers are thick enough, say at least one inch and close to two inches high.

Slicing cake layers horizontally takes a bit of finesse and is easier with smaller cake rounds. If you are willing to splurge on one, a cake leveler tool is designed for this specific task. I use a very long serrated knife and work slowly. The key is to keep the knife as level as possible.

Step 2: Crumb Coat & Simple Syrup

First, dollop about a tablespoon of buttercream or frosting in the center of your cake plate or a cake board. Then place the first cake layer on top of it. This will keep that bottom layer from sliding around on you as you build upwards.

Brush each layer with simple syrup, then dollop about a cup of frosting in the center. Spread the frosting evenly and to the edges. Repeat with the remaining layers. Stack the last layer on top upside down and brush it with simple syrup. Then spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake, starting on the top and working down and around the sides.

And perfection is not the goal here. You just need the buttercream to trap cake crumbs. Make this coating of frosting as thin as possible by gently scraping away any excess.

Step 3: Chill

Place the cake in the refrigerator or freezer - wherever it fits. I find a couple of hours to be plenty of time (faster if it fits in the freezer). But you can apply a crumb coat a day or two ahead of when you plan to finish decorating.

Step 4: Final Coat

Endless tips, tricks, and techniques can be found for applying sugary frosting on a layer cake. Many bakers, professional and amateur alike, prefer to pipe frosting on the top and sides of the cake before smoothing it out. I use an ice cream scoop and my offset spatula. I like the control and faster clean-up. But your kitchen, you're the boss.

To apply the final coat of frosting on your cake, scoop a couple of cups of buttercream on the top of your cake. Then smooth it evenly across the top, and down and around the sides. Add more as necessary to completely cover the crumb coat and fill in any gaps or thinner areas. This step in particular is where a cake turntable can be incredibly helpful.

To smooth the frosting you can simply position your spatula or bench scraper and spin away. In the absence of a spinning pedestal, hold your offset spatula at a shallow angle and gently run it across the top of the cake in sections to create a sleek, smooth surface. Then hold the spatula vertical at a similarly shallow angle to smooth the sides.

Voila! A beautifully frosted cake. And one that is ready for extreme decorating, edible flowers, or better yet, your mouth.

Easy Decorating Ideas

Unless you want to create a showstopper worthy of a Great British Bake-Off finale, all you need are simple tools. With a small spoon, an offset spatula, or a nice helping of festive sprinkles you can add pizzaz to any homemade cake.

If you own decorating tips and have a pastry bag or two, by all means, use them. But they're not necessary for a beautiful cake that looks straight outta the bakery. Here are five easy, quick ways to decorate a cake that will impress.

Frosting Waves

This fun decorating method works with all types of frostings, and even gives a glorious look to cakes covered in buttercream or even whipped chocolate ganache.

1. Load an additional cup or so of your frosting medium on the top of the finished cake.
2. Push the frosting toward the edges to even it out a bit.
3. Then with the back of a small spoon, gently push into the frosting while making a circular motion and lifting up on the spoon. I find the easiest way is to alternate with clockwise and counter-clockwise motions, moving the spoon over a touch after every swoop.
4. Repeat, working around the cake in concentric circles and inward to the middle until all the frosting is swirled.

What's great about this cake decorating technique is it's easy to repeat the swishes over and over again until you are happy with the results. Try to keep the back of the spoon clean of excess frosting, it'll help the valleys form smooth.

Whimsical Lines

Even easier than the waves technique above is making a sleek pattern of whimsical, peaked lines around the sides of your cake. You can create this pattern with your cake already on the finished plate. Or you can employ a turntable and transfer your cake once finished (as long as it's on a cake board).

1. When applying the final coat of frosting, add a thicker layer to the sides than you might otherwise. This will ensure you have ample frosting to indent on without revealing the crumb coat underneath. Smooth the frosting well across the top, but don't worry too much about the sides.
2. Starting anywhere at the bottom of the cake, run the tip of a small offset spatula up the side to the top.
3. Move the spatula over in either direction next to the first line you made and repeat. Keep going around the entire cake until you're back where you started. 
4. If you find small areas with gaps of frosting, gather a small dollop onto the tip of your spatula and repeat the motion in that section.

The motion of drawing the spatula up the side of the cake will leave little peaks at the top. Fun finishing touches to the top of the cake can be store-bought cookies, in-season fruit, or even French macarons if you dare!

Side Garnishes

Pressing sprinkles, cocoa nibs, or cookie crumbs around the sides of your cake adds a wow factor like no other! To decorate the bottom of your cake like I did with this chocolate cake, you must have your cake on a board or similar base. If you baked an eight-inch cake, use an eight-inch cake board, and so on. This will allow you to safely pick up your cake and support it with one hand.

1. Crush and pour your cookie crumbs (or simply sprinkles) into a bowl for easy access.
2. Next, lift your cake and support it with your non-dominant hand. Using your dominant hand, cup then lightly press your garnish onto the frosting around the bottom of the cake.  I do this over a rimmed baking pan or a bowl to minimize the mess.
3. Once you stick your garnish to as much of one area as you can, use both hands to carefully turn the cake to open up undecorated real estate. Repeat until you are satisfied with the number of cookie crumbs kissing your cake!

Simple Piped Borders

Beautiful and classy! But you do need a pastry bag or plastic food baggie fitted with a decorative tip for this one. Small round or star pastry tips are great for beginners.

1. Fit a piping bag or food baggie with your pastry tip of choice, and fill it with buttercream or your preferred frosting. Buttercreams work best, but you can pipe chocolate ganache of the right consistency.
2. Place your frosted cake on its final destination.
3. Then while holding the pastry bag at about a 45° angle, pipe little dots or stars as close around the bottom of the cake where it meets the plate. Holding your pastry bag at an angle helps immensely to keep your dots all in a nice row.

This is one instance where you don't want to use parchment strips under the cake, as removing them will mess up your beautiful border.

Cookie Crumbles

Enticing and the easiest cake decorating method of all! When time is not on your side, grab that box of sandwich cookies in the pantry and go nuts.

I find the easiest and cleanest way to crush cookies is to place them in a plastic food storage bag and let the kids hack away at them with a rolling pin. Or even the bottom of a pan or pot. Kids love to decorate cakes this way, to no surprise of any adult. Just watch out for sneaky little fingers double-dipping in the bits!

Frequently Asked Questions

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Edible Epilogue

When in doubt or pressed for time, just smack loads of frosting on a couple of cake layers and rain handfuls of colorful sprinkles down on top. Especially if you can find naturally colored ones and avoid artificial food dyes. You'll save yourself a lot of time and effort. And leave more energy for the eating.

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If you have a favorite technique or way to decorate birthday and celebration cakes, please share in the comments section below. Happy decorating!

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📖 Recipe

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More Desserts

more dessert and cake recipes

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ET Throwback

An indulgent personal tribute to a sweet soul, my family's first dog, Copper. This buddy got caught red-pawed licking up the spilled frosting when I originally published this article (way before food blogs were cool). May God rest his beautiful soul. Shame was not part of his game!

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