I have sworn off chocolate cakes recently because I can't seem to keep the dark crumbs out of the icing! I've tried the crumb coat thing and that does seem to help but it doesn't solve the problem. Maybe I'm doing something wrong???
When I have a dreaded chocolate cake I usually brush off the crumbs and slightly thin some BTC to make it spread better without pulling up any cake and then crumb coat it. I let that sit until it's crusted over and then apply more icing. I just did a half choco, half yellow cake (transformer in pics) and had to put 4 coats of icing on it and it still had crumbs! I was picking them out with a tooth pick and smoothing the icing till midnight!
I thought I'd try a chocolate cake for this weekend's Easter festivities to get some more practice and was hoping someone had a secret they could share!

i would looooove to see an answer to this question! I hate chocolate cake now! I just try to cover up the crumbs with some sort of decoration

I ALWAYS do a crumb coat, let it crust, then do my top coat. I tend to go a bit heavier with the icing on a chocolate cake to avoid the crumbs. Once I smooth that, I rarely have crumbs. If I do I use the toothpick method. Sorry that's not much help -- I hope someone has a great tip!

I used to have issues with frosting chocolate cakes, but I started allowing them to coool at room temp, and then I cover and put in the
refridgerator for 30+ minutes... this really helps the chocolate cake firm up and you have to worry about crumbs getting into your frosting... I also do the same with red velvet.

The 3 most recent cakes in my cake photos were chocolate cake with chocolate filling but iced in pale coloured icing...no crumbs at all...I used SMBC for the crumb coat and then I put the cake in the fridge..the icing then becomes like hardened butter and "locks" the crumbs in...not even one crumb escapes...
Then just ice as usual...

When I was using the reg type BC icing, I always did a thin crumb coat..making sure the icing was thin enough on the first coat that the spatula didn't drag the icing off the cake..making crumbs..go thin with the crumb coating and thin with the icing for the crumb coat...then just ice as usual once it has crusted a bit..

HTH

chrissysconfections, you don't mention how you are applying your icing. I use the easy icer tip and I put a nice layer of icing over the cake and then smooth the icing lightly. So I am really only working the icing, not touching the cake. In some instances if crumbs do come up, I put another layer of icing over the crumbing area and smooth very lightly. You don't want to let the crumbs surface again. Works 99% of the time.

Oh, let's not even get started with Red Velvet. Iced a baseball sheet cake just this weekend, those crumbs are worse than chocolate crumbs.

When I ice my chocolate cakes, I always apply extra icing in the beginning. The more icing you have on in the beginning, the less chance you have of the crumbs getting ahead of your spatula.

Something else I just thought of, use the large pastry bag with the flat side of the 789 tip and apply your icing onto the cake to completely cover it, that way, you don't have a chance of picking up the crumbs trying to apply the icing with the spatula. Just make sure you apply a thick enough coat. I have attached the picture of that tip (that tip is at the bottom far right of the picture).

I use the large icing tip to cover the cake and it works 99.9% of the time--this is after a crumb coat that has crusted.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem. Speaking of Red Velvet...you ladies that mentioned it would you be willing to share your recipes. I tried one this weekend and wasn't real sure of it as I had never eaten one before. I would be curious to see your recipes. Thanks and sorry to sidetrack this post.

Joanne

I freeze my cakes and start icing them about 30 minutes post freezer....and I use loads of icing. The last few chocolate cakes have been fine...no crumbs.

I'll put in my vote for the icer tip. I hate cleaning the extra bag, so I only use it when I do chocolate cakes nowadays. It is SO worth the extra cleaning, otherwise I'd be spending tons of time to keeps the crumbs out.

I use to have the problem to but I figured thin crumb coat. Let sit on counter for 30 minutes or in fridge for 15. Let it get firm, then I use the icing tip put frosting on and finish cake.

It can be a pain but once you figured out what works for you. You will be happy.

I used to have this problem too. Now when I have a choco cake to do in BC it use about 1/2 cup of real butter in it. Crumb coat with a thicker than normal icing and let it sit for about 30 mins or so. Then Ice with a thicker than normal top coat. Hardly ever see a crumb now.

I have to agree with the icing tip..and the crumb coat..It works like a dream...thats all i ever do and i've never had a problem with the crumbs in the icing. Knock on wood..I opened my mouth and said that "never" word..now watch my next cake be covered in crumbs...

Here's another vote for the icing tip. I don't do a crumb coat and I don't have a problem with crumbs.

Thanks for starting this one, I also sworn off chocolate cakes after this weekend, unfortunately had an order this morning for 1/2 and 1/2 and you can't turn away customers just for my own sanity!!

I have found that if I wrap my cakes right out of the oven: cool in pans for 10 minutes and then turn over onto saran wrap and wrap tightly, I have no problems! My last cake (the baby one) I didn't even have to do a crumb coat for, the first layer just went on smooth! Even with chocolate. I think it is because the outside of the cake stays moist, so the crumbs stay on the cake and do not pull off.


Stephanie

I've found that the Wilton style buttercream (shortening + confectioner's sugar w/ or w/o butter) tends to pull crumbs into the icing much worse than meringue based buttercreams. I've switched over exclusively to meingue based buttercreams and icing cakes has gotten so much easier - fewer crumbs and getting the icing smooth is so much easier!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpudCake

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem. Speaking of Red Velvet...you ladies that mentioned it would you be willing to share your recipes. I tried one this weekend and wasn't real sure of it as I had never eaten one before. I would be curious to see your recipes. Thanks and sorry to sidetrack this post.

Joanne

My Red Velvet Cake recipe:

Red Velvet Cake

Note: this is a recipe that I developed; please credit me when sharing with others! Thanks, Promise Whitley

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temp  ½ cup Crisco
1 and ½ cups granulated white sugar    
3 large eggs, room temp
1 envelope Dream Whip        
1 and ½ cups buttermilk, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract      
1 ounce (1 tablespoon) red food color
2 and ½ cups cake flour (I use Swans Down)  
¼ cup cocoa powder (I use Hersheys)
1 teaspoon salt          
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350

Cream butter and shortening, then add sugar and beat until light and fluffy
Beat in eggs, one at a time
Beat in Dream Whip, buttermilk, vanilla extract and food coloring
Over wax paper, sift together flour, salt and cocoa
Add flour mixture slowly to the wet ingredient and bet to combine
In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar, stirring until baking soda dissolves then add to batter
  and beat the batter on high for 3 minutes.
For an 8 or 9 inch round cake, divide between 3 prepared pans (I use Pam with Flour)
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, check for doneness with toothpick
Cool for 10 minutes in pans then turn out on wire racks and cool completely before frosting
Ice with Cream Cheese Frosting or Flour Frosting (recipes below)
Garnish sides with either flake coconut or toasted chopped pecans

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Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp  
16 ounces cream cheese, room temp
2 pounds 10X sugar, sifted    
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons Wilton meringue powder
DO NOT use light cream cheese, margarine, or shortening!

Cream butter and cheese until smooth.
Add meringue powder and blend
Add sugar 1 cup at a time and mix until thoroughly incorporated before adding next installment
Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time
Beat on high for 3 minutes
Yields approx 5-1/2 cups

_____________________________________________________________
Flour Frosting:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons flour       
1 cup milk       
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar     
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Over medium heat, cook the flour and milk until thickened. Let cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice!! This will be a big help to me in the future. I can't wait to try them!!

BTW I used to use the icer tip but I felt there was too much icing on the cakes and getting some of the excess off was a problem. I got rather good at just using the spatula so that's what I have stuck with lately. It makes sense though to use the icer on the chocolate and I will definitely try that next time!

Thank You all so much!!!!