How to ice a cake

Prepare your favorite cake, from scratch or from a box. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round or 8-inch round cakes pans.  Cut circles of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each, insert in the pans, and then lightly grease the parchment paper.  Dust bottom and sides with flour.  Divide cake batter evenly between pans, filling each no more than one-half full.  Bake as directed in recipe or on box.

Place pans on a wire rack and let them cool for at least ten minutes and no more than fifteen.  Carefully run a dinner knife around the outside edge of the cake to separate it from the pan.  Place a piece of parchment paper across the top of a pan, place another wire rack upside down on top of the parchment paper.  Carefully turn the entire package upside down and lift off the bottom pan (which is now on top). 

Cool layers completely.  Peel off the parchment paper.  Turn one layer over onto a flat surface, such as a counter or table, setting it on a piece of parchment paper.  Level the top of the layer with a long, sharp knife or a cake leveler.  Repeat this process with the second layer.

Place one cake layer, cut side up, on a flat cake board.  Cake boards can be purchased or made by covering a piece of corrugated cardboard with aluminum foil.  Fill a decorator bag (these too can be purchased or made out of parchment paper) with medium consistency icing.  Use a No. 12 decorating tip.  Squeeze out a strip of icing around the outside edge of the cake layer, approximately 1/4-inch from the edge.

Fill the icing circle with a filling, such as pudding, preserves or more of the icing.  Spread evenly with a spatula, making sure that the filling layer is not higher than the icing dam; otherwise, when the second layer is placed on top, filling may ooze out the sides, making it difficult, if not impossible, to ice the cake evenly and neatly.  Place the second layer, bottom side up, atop the filled first layer.  Eyeball the entire structure to make sure it is level.

Prepare a buttercream icing.   Divide it in half, using the first half to place a thin, smooth coat on the entire cake.  Dividing the icing will prevent any loose crumbs from messing up the entire batch when scooping up more icing.  Allow this icing to dry for fifteen to twenty minutes until crusted.  Cover the bowl of remaining icing but do not refrigerate.

Apply the top coat of icing in a thin, smooth layer the same as the first coat.  Allow this coat to dry ten to fifteen minutes.  Cut a piece of parchment paper (or wax paper) and hold it up to the side of the cake.  Using a hand and a light touch, or a spatula, gently rub over the icing to smooth it even more.  Repeat on the top of the cake.  Again, allow the icing to dry, particularly before decorating.

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