When I cut a cake before decorating to create a shape (such as putting a notch in the edge of a sheet cake to make a Vee-neck shirt), I have trouble putting icing on the cut edge. If I use the icer tip, the icing just peels off (along with somecake) onto the cake board. If I try to spread icing on with a spatula, the cake comes apart - the icing stays on the spatula and seems to pull the cake apart. Does anyone else have this trouble or know how to avoid it?

I use Pillsbury cake mix and don't normally doctor it up and use an all shortening buttercream. I don't have any of this trouble on any uncut edge of the cake or the top of a cake.

Thanks for your advice

Libby

When you scultp a cake and cut away the outer edges you are going to get crumbs and the frosting will not totally stick. You will have to put a crumb coat on before you final layer of frosting. It is ok to have crumbs stick in the crumb coat layer. It keeps crumbs from going on the final layer and also helps the frosting stick.

i would say your best bet is to thin down a bit of icing until its quite thin, then do a crumb coat on the cut edges. Let that set up, then do your final icing coat.

I also find it easier to ice a sculpted cake when it very cold... and always do a crumb coat- maybe even two- with thin icing.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try icing the cake cold and also thin my icing some for the crumb coat