How to Frost a Cake

5 from 5 votes

This step by step tutorial will show you how to frost a layer cake just like a professional - with perfectly smooth, even sides and sharp edges!

Cook Time30

Chill Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cake

Using a serrated knife or cake leveler, cut or level the top/dome part of the cake off, to make the cake layers even.
Place a non-stick pad on your turntable and then place the cake board on top. This prevents your cake from slipping all around while you frost it.
Place a bit of frosting in the middle of the cake board and place a cake layer on the cake board.
Add frosting on top of cake layer 1. You’ll be using about ½ cup of frosting per layer (can vary depending on size and number of layers in cake).
Use an offset spatula and smooth the frosting on the cake layer.
If using a thin cake filling like jam, pipe a boarder of buttercream frosting around the edge of the cake layer and fill with the thinner filling to ensure the filling doesn't spread out of the cake.
Place next layer of cake on top and repeat adding frosting and cake with number of layers.
Once you've added all the layers, check to make sure the cake is even. If the layers are uneven, gently adjust until it is straight. It helps to get down to eye level with the cake and slowly turn it around to make sure all sides are even and straight.

Depending on how close to the edges you’ve added your filling, go around in between each layer and add extra frosting.
Then, use a pastry bag or an offset spatula add a thin coating of frosting all around the cake to lock in any potential stray crumbs. It does not need to look pretty or be perfect. But, you do want to make sure the cake stays even.
Once you’ve smoothed the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting, chill in the fridge or freezer for at least one hour.

Once the crumb coat has chilled, you can add the next layer of frosting to the top by adding about ½ to 1 cup of frosting along the top and smoothing it out with an offset spatula or bench scraper.
You want the frosting to go a bit off the sides of the cake. You’ll be adding more frosting to the top later so it doesn’t need to be perfect.
Once the top is smooth, add frosting to the sides of the cake using a pastry bag.
Using a bench scraper at a 45 - 90 degree angle to cake (depending on preference and type of bench scraper) slowly rotate the cake to smooth out frosting.
When starting out, it can help to slowly go around a full rotation and then clean off the bench scraper with a towel. This helps keep the cake clean. Try to start and stop the rotation in the same spot, that helps keep the frosting smooth and make sure there are no vertical divots in the frosting from the bench scraper.

Once the the frosting is some what even, fill in any gaps or bubbles and rescrape.
You can all chill the cake for 20-30 minutes, fill gaps and rescrape. This can really help get the cake smooth.
It can also help to warm the bench scraper under hot water. Be sure to dry it completely before using it on the cake, but the extra warmth will slightly melt the frosting giving it a very smooth finish.

Once you’re happy with the sides of the cake, smooth out the top. You can add more frosting to the top of it needs to be evened out.
Then, smooth the edges by taking either an off-set spatula or bench scraper and gently pulling the top edges towards the center of the cake.
Now the cake if ready for final decorations such as adding fondant, more frosting piping, sprinkles, or chocolate drip.

Make sure the cake is room temperature or chilled. If you frost a warm cake it will melt the frosting.
Use a non-stick slip mat under the cake board to keep the cake from sliding all over the place when you frost it.
Using a pastry bag with a wide tip to apply the frosting helps ensure an even coat of frosting.
Get eye level with the cake every so often and slowly turn it around to ensure it is even on all sides.
If using a soft filling in between the layers such as jam, be sure to add a coat of buttercream or other stiff frosting around the edges to keep the soft filling from leaking out or cause the cake to bulge.
For a 6 inch 3 layer cake I recommend a double batch this buttercream frosting recipe. But, the amount of frosting needed can vary depending on the size of the cake, number of layers, and thickness of frosting.