How to Frost With Genoise

A genoise is a type of sponge cake with a moist syrup poured over it.

Genoise is a type of sponge cake drizzled with syrup and often used as the layers for a stacked cake. The syrup adds moisture and flavor to the cake, but for even more decadence, frost the genoise cake. Genoise cakes are heavy and delicate once you add the syrup, and you must be careful when stacking the layers and frosting the cake. But the final dessert of a layer cake with rich, moist layers will be worth the effort. Does this Spark an idea?

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2 8-inch round, baked genoise cake layers
Cooling rack
Cake board
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Saucepan
Pastry brush
2 cups buttercream frosting
Spatula

Instructions

- 1
  
  Turn the two cakes onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- 2
  
  Transfer one of the cake layers to a cake board.
- 3
  
  Combine the water and sugar together in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- 4
  
  Dip a pastry brush into the syrup and brush it over the top of the bottom layer cake until half of the syrup has been applied to the cake.
- 5
  
  Use a spatula to apply 1 cup of buttercream icing to the top and sides of the syrup-coated layer.
- 6
  
  Gently transfer the remaining layer from the cooling rack to the top of the frosted cake.
- 7
  
  Brush the remaining syrup on top of the top layer.
- 8
  
  Spread the remaining icing on the top and sides of the top layer.
- 9
  
  Run the spatula around the side of the cake to smooth the sides. Smooth the top of the cake with a series of long, slow movements with the spatula.