do I have to defrost it first. Thanks

I have learned a lesson with frosting a cake while frozen if using crusting buttercream. If you want to smooth out cake with crusting buttercream then wait til thawed out.....

I wanted to see what would happen if I iced a frozen cake. basic laws of science apply! Cold contracts and warm expands. I iced the cake while frozen, then as it thawed (i.e. "warmed") the cake expanded and the BC icing cracked all over. Fortunately, this was for a family pitch-in, so with the chantilly lace decor that I added and some BC flowers, it looked ok (to everyone else).

I have crumb-coated while frozen, then let it come to room temperature before doing the final icing and those turned out ok.

Stab it a few times if your in hurry that will help prevent cracking. I refuse to ice a thawed chocolate cake with white BC.

i have never frosted a buttercream cream cake while it has been fozen, but when i make a cake with pastry pride (non dairy whipped topping) i always have it forzen it keeps the cream cool and from craking, i also don't have to clear room in my refigerator

frozen cakes are all i decorate!!!!! i find that it is easier to work with, no crumbs in my icing either. i have never had any troubles with my icing cracking...it's the only way i go!!!

mommacakes is right. I tried to ice a frozen cake with crusting buttercream and I had planned on using the Viva method to smooth it out but the frozen cake caused the icing to stay too wet to smooth out.

If you try to ice a frozen cake with Italian meringue buttercream it will begin to develop deep cracks within half an hour.

frozen is the only way i'll ice the cake....to many crumbs on a thawed cake...

although i've known the heartbreak of the cracked icing if the cakes frozen solid...i usually just freeze overnight.

If I absolutely have to ice a thawed cake or I have just carved it. I use a side-icer. I end up have to comb a lot off but I avoid crumbs that way.

I never decorate a cake unless it is frozen and i havent come across any problems with cracking or the icing not being smooth.