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When decorating a cake, what is the best way to get the icing completely smooth?

I’m teaching myself cake decorating and this is my first cake.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8259/myfirstcake.jpg

I want a smoother look and the spatula just can’t do it. Any tips or ideas?

THANKS GUYS!
I do have a large metal spatula.

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11 Responses to “When decorating a cake, what is the best way to get the icing completely smooth?”

  1. CorpCityGrl says:

    The best way to smooth the icing would be to take your offset spatula and keep some warm water nearby. Periodically dip the spatula in the warm water before running it over your cake and if excess icing gets on it, wipe it off. The warm water will help to actually warm the icing and make it more malleable so that the warm surface of the spatula will, in a sense, melt the top and smooth it out.

  2. Dune says:

    Use a proper palette knife.
    It is similar to this knife but without the knife edge.
    I can’t find a pic.
    http://www.inmagine.com/is293/is293040-photo

  3. ginarene71 says:

    Melt the icing just a little in the microwave then pour it.

  4. Clar92 says:

    if you have a frosting spatula, which is metal, it will make it smoother, also if thats still not smooth enough, then take a paper towel and rub a little cooking oil over the spatula.

  5. Happy Cooker says:

    Use a wider spatula or a special gadget for smoothing on icing. It kind of looks like what brick layers use to smooth on the concrete. You buy them in any good kitchen store.

  6. Doc Hudson says:

    Are you using an offset spatula?
    http://www.cookworks.ca/site_assets/www.cookworks.ca/images/dynamic/products/57-3804.jpg

    A plain rubber spatula just won’t do the job. And you also need a spray bottle so you can spritz the surface of the icing, this helps you get a smooth surface.

    You will need at least two different sizes of offset spatulas, one of which should be as long or almost as long as the cake is wide.

    A turntable or lazy susan will also be a big help. You can hold your spatula steady and turn the cake under the spatula to give a smooth surface.

    Doc

  7. Pastriguy says:

    The best way is to use a long metal spatula And you keep dipping it in room tempeture water and just keep smoothing ! Hope this helps!

  8. Miz Lamb says:

    have a tall glass of warm water and dip your spatula in the water to smooth the icing on the cake. If some icing does transfer to the spatula, wipe it with a paper towel and dip the spatula again.

    Wet spatula does more to smooth butter cream than anything else.

  9. LOVE says:

    looks pretty damn smooth to me.

    sorry i have no tips.

    but it looks good

  10. Adriana says:

    Cute cake! It looks yummy… what’s on the inside?

    To get the icing smooth you can use the straight edge of a piece of cardboard, run it over top of the cake evenly to scrap off the uneven-ness (so use a bit more icing than you want to actually have) and then hold it on the icing on the side and rotate the cake around it (or have someone else move the cake). You can buy plastic tools from bake shops but why spend a ton of money on it?

  11. DebonairHistorian says:

    OMG! That is such a cute cake!!!