Can anyone tell me why I have crumbs on my cake? I understand a little but when I am trying to ice my cake the crumbs just keep coming and coming.
Lisa
when i ice in buttercream i always have that problem, i find that a crumb coat helps reduce the crumbs in the icing, hope this helps.
Because your icing is stiff and when you try to ice it it pulls the crumbs up. An easy way is to do a really thin layer called a crumb layer...put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, then take it out and ice like you normally would. No crumbs will come this way. An even easier way is to get the Wilton Icing Tip at Michael's. This just applies the icing right on the cake and all you have to do is smooth it...no crumb coat necessary!
Crumb coat that baby! I think the previous post said it right.
Elle
I find that if my BC icing has to be the right consistency to prevent crumbs. I try to thin it as best I can (not too thin or it'll fall off!!) I still have problems with my choco cake and have to crumb coat. I hate crumb coating, though cuz it takes extra time!!
Good luck!
Ashlee 
I can not stress this enough...GET THE WILTON ICING TIP...I frost cakes in about 5 minutes! No joking!! It is worth the $2
TIA!
Ericcann is so right DEFINITELY crumb coat, even if it takes extra time, the end result is well worth it!
As for the icing tip, I can't remember the number, but it looks like a huge version of the tip you use for basket weave.
When I used to teach cake decorating, the one thing that I would always tell my students is that when you ice the cake, it is better to put too much icing on and then take off as you continue icing. Not putting enough icing on your cake has a tendency to pull the crumb coat off, resulting in crumbs in your final icing layer (especially chocolate cakes).
And finally, practice makes perfect. You have to learn on your own, not something I was ever able to teach, the pressure that needs to be applied as you ice your cake. The more you do it, the better you will become! 
I did a cake for practice and took it to my work. Well, when I did the cake, a chocolate cake with vanilla bc icing, I didn't make enough icing. I just put on one thick coat of icing, not a crumb coat and a finish coat. So naturally, there were chocolate crumbs in my vanilla (white) icing. Everyone was asking my how I got that "cool speckled" effect on my icing. Of course, I played it up like it was a technique that I had learned and I using the cake as practice. They were all really impressed.
If they only knew...
You'll need an 18" bag for the icing tip, too.
I love my icer tips and use them for fillings, too! Major timesaver!
I also use the big tip. I don't have an 18" bag, I just use a ziploc gallon size bag and cut a slit in it to fit the huge tip.
I have been making too many Bettercreme cakes and i don't know if you can crumb coat those. I just use the big tip and then smooth it out as best as a newbie can!
Nope, can't crumb coat with bettercream (rich's bettercream or typically known as non-dairy whipped icing). I tried hun n all it did was roll the icing already applied right off the cake n it was a mess fer sure. So yeah, I plop a lot of the bettercream on a cake n make sure that my spatula never touches cake but just the frosting.
Thanks chaptips for doing the research on crumb coating with bettercreme. 
Sorry you made such a mess. My family only likes cakes with whipped cream, so bettercreme is the only thing they want on them...!!
I find that if my BC icing has to be the right consistency to prevent crumbs. I try to thin it as best I can (not too thin or it'll fall off!!) I still have problems with my choco cake and have to crumb coat. I hate crumb coating, though cuz it takes extra time!!
Good luck!
Ashlee
in the long run, i think crumb coating SAVES you time since there is less fuss
I just got myself the icing tip and tried it for the first time about a week ago. I had a little trouble holding the bag...I've never used a bag that big and it will take some getting used to. I still need to practice, but I did notice the tip worked well. It was my first chocolate cake that didn't have a single crumb...and it was the first cake I had ALMOST completely smooth (and just using the hot knife). I'm really excited to practice more with the tip! Jodie
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%