Icing A Cake - My First Attempt

Hmmmm.....I knew icing a cake wasn't going to be as easy as Chef made it look!

Steps to icing a cake:

1) place cake on a cardboard base

2) use a serrated knife to shave off any browned cake, so that the surface is all the same color and flat

3) cut cake in half, so that you can add filling between the layers

4) ice with a base coat

5) finish with a heavy coat, which you make as flat and smooth as possible

6) cover up your flaws with coconut! HA!

7) put cakes in the cooler so icing will harden

Tools you need:

*icing comb - a small, inexpensive plastic or metal tool, usually triangular in shape. The serrated edges can be used to even out icing or add decorative texture.

*straight spatula - also called a palette knife, this long flexible blade has a rounded tip. Size needed depends on size of cake.

*offset spatula - the angled blade allows you to get under a cake and lift it.

*cake cardboard base - don't forget this step, or you'll have difficulty removing the cake from the turntable once it's iced! The cardboard gives the cake a sturdy base.

*turntable - a round, flat disk that swivels freely on a pedestal base. Available in plastic and heavy-duty metal, the latter of which is obviously more expensive. My tip: buy the best you can so it lasts longer.

*baking sheet lined with parchment paper - use to transport cake to the cooler. Parchment paper is a handy tool for minimizing dirty pans and clean up. It's also great to use when baking cookies.