How To Frost A Cake: {Baking Tips}

Here are a few different tips I’ve collected for frosting cakes (and a little kitchen hack for slicing a cake), all of these are from vintage cookbooks (Better Homes & Gardens and Fry’s Cocoa).

How To Frost A Cake

Tips For How To Frost A Cake

• Frost as soon as thoroughly cool. Brush loose crumbs away with hand. Place on layer, top side down, on cake plate.
• Spread this layer with filling or frosting to edge of layer. Let stand until set then place second layer, bottom side down, on top of filling or frosting.
• Frost side of cake, holding spatula or knife in vertical position. Pull up toward top. Beware of gaps in the bottom.
• Pile remaining frosting on top. Spread lightly with sweeping strokes to make attractive swirls, ridges or spirals. To make your cake look taller, pull spatula around top to form ridges at edge of cake.
• A frosting for a 2-layer 8-inch cake will frost a 9×13x2 inch cake. Top and sides of 12 cupcakes. Top of 24 cupcakes. Top of 2 9-inch square cakes. If layer cake has a special filling, 2/3 of the icing is sufficient for top and sides.

Quick Decoration: Spread cake smoothly with frosting, then dimple it with a spatula

Neat Way To Frost A Cake

Neat Way To Frost A Cake

• Place four strips of waxed paper over edge of cake plate. Place cake on strips. Paper will catch surplus frosting as you work.
• Frost between layers, then frost sides, and last of all, the top. For a cake like this, press finely chopped nuts against the sides.
• Decorate the top with a swirl of nuts. When you finish, carefully remove waxed-paper strips–you have a spotless plate.

A Neat Way To Slice Layer Cakes For More Servings

Neat Way To Cut A Cake For Extra Slices

• To cut your layer cake like this, choose a sharp knife with thin blade. First, cut a circle about 2 inches from the edge of the cake. If the frosting is soft, dip the knife in hot water before you begin to cut cake.
• Now cut the cake as shown. From each slice you get 2 servings. Do not press down–hold handle of knife up and slice by pulling it toward you. You may get into family arguments over who gets outside pieces.

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