How to Seal a Cake Before Decorating

A beautifully decorated cake can differentiate the amateur from the professional baker. Yet there are a couple of tricks available to the amateur baker capable of fooling even the most discriminating eye. The techniques help to "seal" the cake to make it easier to decorate with a professional finish. They cost nothing more than a little time and patience, and ample storage space in the freezer. Does this Spark an idea?

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Freezer
Plastic wrap
Airtight bag
Extra frosting
Icing spatula
Refrigerator

Instructions

- 1
  
  Let the cake sit after baking until it is cool to the touch.
- 2
  
  Wrap the cake in plastic wrap.
- 3
  
  Seal the wrapped cake in an airtight bag.
- 4
  
  Place the wrapped and sealed cake into a freezer overnight. Take care to place the cake in an area where it will not be touched or contaminated by other products.
- 5
  
  Remove the cake from the freezer. Keeping the cake in its wrapper, allow it to come to room temperature. This can take as long as 12 hours.
- 6
  
  Remove the wrapping from the cake.
- 7
  
  Apply a thin layer of icing to the cake to serve as a "crumb coat."
- 8
  
  Refrigerate the crumb-coated cake for 10 minutes, allowing the icing to set.
- 9
  
  Ice or frost the cake with the final layer.

Tips & Warnings

Cakes with multiple layers should be refrigerated for 10 minutes after each layer of frosting is applied.
Do not frost or ice a cake that has not fully thawed. Condensation will form under the icing as the cake thaws.
Do not freeze a cake once icing or frosting has been applied.