I am a newbie to cake decorating. I just made my third cake last night. I always have trouble with icing the sides of my cake. Whenever I try to smooth the icing on the sides, the icing comes off and I can start to see the cake underneath. Why am I having such trouble with a basic task? Any tips? Do I just need to put the icing on super thick? Would using the icing tip help?
Thanks.
I love using the icing tip and I got a metal drywall scraper from the hardware store. I usually don't have to smooth much at all on the sides with the icing tip. Also the consistency of your icing will help make it stick better if you use thinner icing.
Hi Meggers,
Welcome to CC. The first suggestion I can offer is to get the cake icer tip. It is tip number 789. Once you get it you might want to push it in a little if you don't want a real thick coat of icing. I know that since I have taken the Wilton courses and learned to ice my cakes using that tip it has made a big difference in how my cakes look. Feel free to take a look at my photos. Also, research the Melvira method using the foam roller and the Viva paper towel method. I didn't like the Viva method at first but now it is all I use. My Wilton instructor also said that if you still have problems with air bubbles in your icing to mist it with water. I personally haven't tried that yet, but I plan on trying it on my next cake. I don't usually crumb coat my cakes when I use the icer tip but there have been times when I have needed to and it has also made a big difference. The icer tip is the key to getting a good frosting on the sides. I hope this helps.
Bradymom
I think we all have our own way of doing it and you will get more than one technique in answers to your question. I start by doing a crumb coat of icing, very light but smooth, scrape off the majority of it, then chill the cake. I ice my sides first with a fairly thick coat and it extends up the sides and leaves about 1/4" wall of icing above the top edge of the cake. I add icing to the center top and begin to spread it out to the edges, then bring in that overlap on the sides towards the center. I do the final smoothing with a chocolate scraper or wallpaper smoother, heated in very hot water and wiped dry. I smooth the sides first by angling the scraper and resting the bottom of the blade on the cake board just next to the iced cake. It may be pulling away because your cake is too moist, let the layers set out at room temperature for a bit before doing the crumb coat. If you are seeing shadows of the cake through the icing it is too thin and you are remvoing too much as you smooth. Powdered sugar based icing is more difficult for me to work with than Italian meringue buttercream, it is light and fluffy and requires very little smoothing. Hope this helps.
Your icing might be too thick ... that would make it pull off and not smooth properly. Try thinning it down a little bit and see what happens.
I also think your icing might be too thick if it is pulling off of the cake when you try to smooth it.
Also, only apply icing in one direction; don't move your spatula back and forth or it will pull icing and give you crumbs.
Ohhh Shirley what a great idea, ice the sides first, I'm so trying that today, I always tend to ice the top first, and wonder if that's what caused some of my issues...... I love the different ideas on this site, I want to try all of them straight away!!! 
You know as I was reading this, I wasnt sure if my comment might not be clear. I meant to say thick as in stiff, not thick as in thickness. Sorry if I caused any confusion!
The best things I've learned here - I'm still a beginner too 
are:
1. Make sure your buttercream crusts by adding meringue powder.
2. Crumb coating (*which all the above members have explained)
3. After the final icing "coat", let the icing set for about 5 min then lay a Viva Paper Towel (*they are very soft and smooth papertowels) over your cake and smooth over with: your hand, a fondant smoother, or a hot spatula (*run in under hot hot water then wipe it dry) Makes it look amazingly smooth and perfect 
Hope any of this helps I've learned everything I know from all the talented people on this site. It just keeps getting better with each cake
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