Is it true that brushing a cake with simple syrup first helps keep the crumbs out of the icing? If not can anyone give advice on how to keep crumbs out of the icing!! Thanks

I don't know about the syrup, but I do a crumb coat in buttercream, then pipe the final layer of buttercream on then smooth with a shapknife. hth.

The simple syrup will work, but isn't really necessary if you crumb coat with a smooth thin layer of BCI and then apply your regular icing layer over that.

It also helps if you refridgerate the cake after you crumb coat it to set the crumb coat - that way you're working with a solid surface when you're applying your final coating of buttercream.

I agree with the others - the crumb coat is your best friend. Put it on there and let it sit for a few minutes then ice the cake - no crumbs!