Sculpted Cake Falls Apart When Icing It...
Decorating By dmaam Updated 30 Jan 2007 , 8:38pm by mamacc
I took a half sheet cake and carved a baby onesie out of it. I then crumb coated it and let it sit. When I started to ice it - crumbs - EVERYWHERE!!! Pieces of the cake where coming off. I kept cleaning my knife because icing sticks to icing. What am I doing wrong? I froze the cake last night and it has been out of the freezer for 3 hours now. Please, help me because this newbie is so frustrated right now. To me icing the cake is the most difficult and most time consuming.
Any suggestions???? Thank you for your time and your helpful advice.
Sincerely,
Michelle
I'm no expert, but If your crumb coat had crusted, your icing may just be too thick. Wilton recommends using a "thin" consistancy frosting for covering the cake. Try adding more water (or milk or whatever liquid you are using). I usually prefer to work on a cool cake, too. Cool as in temperature, BTW 
- not frozen, but still cool.
Yes, a thinner consistency icing will help. Also, I my experience, I have much better luck when frosting a cold cake, just barely unthawed. it sounds to me like your cake completely unthawed and warmed to room temp. causing the cake to become too soft and fall apart when icing.
Thanks i needed this too. I have given up on carving cakes because it just becomes a huge mess. The last time i did it i ended up taking out a can of DH icing melting it to liquic status and then poured it over the cake to be my crumb coat, then iced.
Icing for me is the hardest part as well. I just cant get my top edges on the round cakes or the square edges ever to work/look right. Or it falls apart like you said. gluck
As the others have said, it sounds like your icing was too thick. You can either thin it with liquid or pop it in the microwave for a few seconds. This will make your icing soft enough to ice with, but then it will firm back up to its regular consistency.
Also, I don't let my crumbcoated cake sit. I ice right away. If I'm pulling off cake, I thin down my icing.
Thank you for your help with crumb - coating. I, too, find the hardest part of decorating cake is the icing of it. I will try to ice it shortly after it is taken out of the freezer. I have always froze my cakes, but then allowed them to thaw before I tried to ice them. Secondly, the big knife I was using seem to make it difficult as well. Also, I definitely think that my icing was to thick and will try the microwaving of it. Adding water scares me because I am afraid that I will add to much water.
Thank you
OR you can ice it with a large basketweave tip. I'd have to check on the exact number but it's one of those extra large tips. I use it just like I would use the cake icer tip except it's smaller. It's super easy to get an even layer of buttercream without pulling off the cake.
Courtney
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