The perfect cake should be a visual pleasure long before the first bite is taken. Like judging a book by its cover, anticipation stems from the allure of the cake's icing.
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But icing is no piece of cake. Craft and homeware stores stock a wide selection of cake-decorating paraphernalia, but most of the essentials can be drummed up in your own kitchen.
A platter or stand, wax or parchment paper, a soft-bristled pastry brush, a long, serrated bread knife, a flat or offset metal spatula and a few tips are all you'll need.
1. Before baking cake layers, make sure the batter is evenly distributed in the cake pans and that the oven racks are level (angled racks make sloped cakes). Cool cake layers completely before icing.
2. A soft-bristled pastry brush will also remove crumbs without eroding the cake.
3. Place the bottom layer upside-down (to provide a flat surface for the filling) on a cake stand or serving platter. Cover the border of the cake platter with strips of baking paper. When you're finished, gently pull the strips out, revealing a spotless border.
4. Plop a big dollop of icing in the centre of the layer and spread the filling out to the edges. If the filling is different from the outside frosting, be careful not to spread the filling over the edges. Use a judicious amount; if applied too heavily, filling will ooze out when top layer is put in place.
5. Place top layer on bottom layer, right side up, so that the two cake bottoms touch each other. If a thin icing is used, pour or spread the icing on to the centre of the cake, then down the sides with a spatula. With heavy icing spread the sides first, then place a good quantity of icing in the centre of the top and push it to the edges with a spatula.
6. Trim cake layers if necessary. With a long-bladed, serrated bread knife, remove any ragged edges using a gentle sawing motion. Slightly rounded tops are easily covered by icing, but excessively large bumps may have to be cut off.
7. Pushing the icing rather than pulling or dragging it with the spatula prevents pulling up crumbs and getting them mixed with the icing. Use a pushing motion from the centre of the cake with a long flat spatula or a shorter offset spatula, turning the cake stand or serving plate as you go.
Use enough icing to cover the entire cake generously, but not excessively, with an even layer.
Reserve a bit of icing in case of emergency - if crumbs are incorporated into icing, a final swirl of reserved icing may save the day. Smooth the icing with long strokes of the metal spatula, or leave it textured or swirled, as desired.
The finished cake should have a perfectly level top and perfectly straight, even sides. AAP
