New! Super-Smooth Icing Technique That's Fast!.
Decorating By frankandcathy Updated 10 Nov 2006 , 10:12pm by lapazlady
Okay guys and gals, I, like you, have been frustrated with getting my icing really smooth. I've tried a variety of techniques and found them either too time-consuming or just plain painful.
I liked Toba Garrett's idea of using the star tip but it just took way too long and caused cramping! I like the upside-down technique but don't have the time to wrap all those cake circles in waxed paper. I don't like using the icer tip because I think it puts too much icing on the cake and is unwieldy. So I've combined some ideas and this is what I've come up with.
Let me know what you think and I will take pictures and post a "how-to" article on it if you guys think it's good.
This is what I do:
Fit a 16" bag with the large coupler. Fill with icing.
Attach a #2B tip or #1D tip. I don't know which mine is because it's not labeled! It's an icer tip...just not the huge one (#789).
Ice the top of the cake first.
1. Use coencentric cirlces, making sure to get as close to the outside edge as possible.
You want the grooved side UP when you do this. Your icing will be ridged.
2. Take a putty knife (dipped in boiling water and then wiped dry) and pull it across the top of the cake in several different directions until smooth and level. If you have a spot that dips down, just squeeze a little icing on and then re-drag the putty knife.
For the sides:
1. Using the same tip, (again having the ridged side place in such a way so that the icing is ridged on the cake) squeeze vertical lines of icing straight up the side of the cake.
Make sure to pull it up a little OVER the top of the cake. You don't want a gap between the top icing and side icing.
2. After you've iced all the way around, take your hot putty knife again and follow the directions on the upside-down technique in order to smooth.
Do this as many times as necessary, making sure to hold the putty knife straight up and down. Don't take off too much icing, though. If you have some little imperfections you can smooth those easily enough with a small tapered spatula.
Finish up:
1. I use a hot, small tapered spatula and pull the icing up over the sides. It usually smooths right into the top icing because that icing has already begun to crust a bit.
Work around the whole cake in this manner.
2. If you see any imperfections, take your hot tapered knife and very gently pull them up or smooth them over.
NOTE: If you cake is not white, be very careful about using a hot knife. This may very well cause discoloration in your icing. I find that if I dip it in hot water and wipe it off and then let it cool for a few seconds, I don't have this problem.
When icing a square cake, you can get very clean lines on the top by using a putty knife longer than your edges (if possible) and then just pulling the icing up all at once over the top of the cake.
I don't use the VIVA methd but if you do, let me know if it enhances this technique at all.
Let me know if you have any questions or how this works for you!
~C
What kind of icing are you using? You can smoosh the cake icer tip down quite a lot to put a thin ribbon of icing on your cake.
also you can get a smaller bag....a 14 no larger than 16 is what I use.
and if you get a bench scraper....after you ice your sides..you can just hold the bench scraper on the side of your cake....holding it at the back and spin your cake and you are done smoothing the sides...(this takes a litte practice on how much pressure to use.)
Just some additional tips for you..
My interest is P e a k ed!
I too hate the big icing tip--but I use it for lack of anything better. Maybe this is it!
.
just a question but if you are using a frosting that has butter or something like that would using a hot spatula on your frosting do any damage? 
cool technique though, would also like to see pics.
Sounds like a good idea, I will have to give it a try this weekend.
Hey guys. Have 3 cakes going out this weekend, 1 wedding cake to be delivered tonight so I don't have time to take pictures just yet but hopefully I will soon!
I find that I can't squish the big icer tip flat enough. It's still too much icing. And then after you squish it, there's more coming out on the sides than in the middle. 
(
A bench scraper is probably the same as a putty knife although I've never used one. Yes, this is the same technique where you spin your cake while holding the knife against the sides.
I prefer the bigger bag because I don't have to refill it as much. I like the vinyl bags for this, not the disposable ones. It just seems to be easier to work with for some reason.
I use all-Crisco icing but I don't see that butter would be destroyed by heat...but I don't know! Someone tell us if it's okay!
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