Cakes For Romantic Occasions (5 page)

It’s very important to make your cake level before you start decorating it, especially if you are adding tiers. For best results, use a small spirit level to check you’ve got it right rather than simply judging by eye.

one
Work out what height your cake should be and mark it ready for trimming. Measure with a ruler to ensure it will be the same height all round (
a
).

two
Trim the dome from the top of the cake using a sharp knife to make a flat surface (
b
).

three
Place the cake on a board and spread with a generous layer of buttercream (see page 18) (
c
), then some jam if required. Gently place the second half of the cake on top, checking it is straight. If your sponges are deep, you may choose to add more layers of buttercream. Do this by cutting each of your sponges in half and adding three layers of the filling.

four
Use a spirit level to check that the cake is flat. If it still needs levelling, add small amounts of sugarpaste icing (about the size of a small marble) under the cake to raise one side to the right level.

tip
If you are worried about cake crumbs getting caught up in the buttercream, coat the cake in a really thin layer to start with and place it in the fridge to set. This will act as a seal, so you can add more buttercream without the risk of getting crumbs everywhere.

Applying two coats of icing to your cake will give a really smooth finish and provide the stability necessary for stacking tiers on top of each other. You can use different flavours for the under and top icing. For example, you can under ice a sponge cake in chocolate sugarpaste or marzipan like a fruitcake, if you wish. Again, the flavour of your cake will guide you.

It’s worth taking care over the under icing on your cake. The smoother the finish you can achieve at this stage, the easier it will be to add the top icing afterwards.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Cake

Thin cake board the same size as the cake

Palette knife

Apricot glaze/seedless jam

Icing sugar

Pastry brush

Sugarpaste (see opposite for quantities)

Rolling pin

Icing smoother

Sharp knife

tip
If you feel that the buttercream filling is too soft for you to ice the cake well, place the cake in the fridge for a little while to let the filling harden. This will give you a solid base on which to cover the cake.

one
Spread the cake with the glaze or jam (
a
) and set aside.

two
Roll out the sugarpaste or marzipan about 5mm (1⁄8in) thick and large enough to cover the cake.

three
Roll the icing around the rolling pin, lift up and lay onto the cake (
b
).

four
Smooth the top and sides of the cake with your hands and an icing smoother to press the icing down onto the cake and form a cutting line (
c
).

five
Trim the excess icing around the bottom of the cake with the sharp knife. Allow to dry overnight.