Every time I was crumb coating (or at least thought thats what I was doing) I was always using regular buttercream to do so. I'm now reading on other posts that it has to be a very thin layer. So heres my question:

How thin does the buttercream have to be? Am I supposed to add water and actually thin out my icing, or just use a small amount of buttercream?

I would appreciate someones help as I am VERY new at this.
Thank You

I use water to thin out my buttercream to do my crumbcoat. After I coat the cake I usually sit the cake in the refrigerator or on the counter for about 15-30 minutes before I put the final coat of frosting on.

I make sure my icing is a nice spreadable consistency. Then I use the advice of my instructor and spread the icing on like "buttering toast". Then put it in the fridge for a few minutes to set and then put the final coat on.

Sorry to butt-in ....do you always have to crumb coat a cake or only when you cover it with fondant? I never crumb coat my cakes...is that why my frosting never looks smooth??

BDW, I don't sell cakes or anything, ok? my cakes are only for family or friends

I use regular BC. It's not really that it has to go on thin, but you will be applying a second coat of BC to get a smooth layer under fondant or for your BC decorations so you have to think about how much BC you want on the cake overall.

If it's going to be under fondant, it's better to keep it thin because if you add too much BC with both layers of BC it may be difficult to smooth away lumps around the top edge of the tiers: As you're smoothing you may end up pushing the BC around under the fondant).

I love that crumbcoat, though. It's hard trying to get a perfect BC coat on a fresh cake, so the crumbcoat allows you to forget about perfection... It's so much easier to get a smooth layer of BC on over a cold, firm crumbcoat.

Thank You all so much for your tips!!! It is all very helpful, can't wait to do my next cake so I can practice.

The crumb coat acts as sort of a "sealer" so that your cake crumbs don't get into your outer layer of buttercream that everyone sees

I use the same buttercream that's going on the outside, and then chill it really well to make sure the crumb coat is set.

If the outside buttercream is going to be chocolate and I'm using a chocolate ganache filling (something I do as sort of my all-purpose all-occasion donated cake) I'll spread extra ganache on as a crumb coat and it works just peachy .

OT - but Sue, I love your avatar and signature quote!

Is there a good or perfect recepie for buttercream for crumb coat??
Thank you all!!

Rosie2 I never crumbcoat, and my cakes come out pretty smooth, see my gallery... I tried to but never could get it thin enough so I gave up and decided to skip it cause it was taking up too much of my time trying to get a perfect crumbcoat lol. I hope to never come across a mess that could have been avoided by crumbcoating.

my crumbcoat has been tearing apart my edges. I think I'll try to thin it out a bit, hopefully that will help.

I finally got the chance to crumbcoating last night. After all of the response and tips I got from everyone here, it came out great!! it was the first cake i did that came out really smooth. doing the crumb coating, the correct way, has made it SO much easier. Thank You All!!

Thank you! For fondant I apply a reg coat of buttercream cause most people peel the fondant off and i dont want them to eat an icing-less cake (thats the best part! lol). I would be careful with the pressure while smoothing out the fondant so it doesnt push the buttercream through the bottom. I know I may be asking for trouble that way but i like the look of fondant and like the taste of buttercream