I've done this several times b/4 but no matter how hard I try I always end up with choc crumbs showing. I level cake, brush all crumb off I can get off. Then I crumb coat, ref, then put on the next layer of icing but end up putting back in ref & adding a 3rd layer of icing & still end up picking out black specks. Cream Cheese & whipped icing seem to be the worst. Do any of you have this problem & how do you solve it. Thanks.

I'm not sure why it is happening to you.....I do the same as you and mine seem to be fine. Perhaps your icing is too stiff or too cold (which will make it too stiff) when you are icing. I ice with either thin consistency or thinner consistency (about 1/2 Tablespoon water added to 3 cups thin consistency). That is the only thing I can think of.

Good Luck,
Chelle

I'm about to ice a choc cake with white icing today, and i usually keep the cake in the fridge over night, and ice it cold...

this seems to work for me, but no doubt today i will have trouble as it is a wedding cake.....lol

kylie

I started using a blow dryer to blow off all the crumbs off my cakes this seems to have helped alot. I hope this helps.
MC

Well, I have to say that I personally haven't had to do any choc. cakes with white icing yet, but I'm actually venturing that way this weekend!! Also, I'm very new to this, but from my Wilton class, my teacher says that the icing tip is the greatest because you're not really touching the cake but laying on the icing and then you smooth it out.

Why don't you try to do the crumb coat, refrigerate and then try the icing tip?? It just might work. I have to invest in one myself!!

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I agree w/ all of the above. Brush off the crumbs, then crumbcoat w/ thinner icing. Put it in the fridge or freezer until set, then use the icing tip to do the final. Should work fine. This is what I do, and no crumbs! HTH and good luck!