Pile 300 g (10½ oz) of buttercream on the top and
push it out to the edge, then push the overhang
down the side of the cake. Use the tip of the offset
spatula to apply a little more buttercream to the
side if needed. Do a final swipe across the top and
around the side to remove any excess. If you are
adding top or side sprinkles, such as freeze-dried
fruit or streusel, do it now, while the buttercream
is soft, pressing them in lightly.

And no matter which layer cake you are icing,
an hour’s cool room–temperature rest at the end,
before serving, will allow the layers to properly
settle and fuse. If the weather is super warm,
chill the finished cake well before transporting.

A mid-party cake slump or car slide is a top-tier
baking bummer.

Three-layer cakes
Trim the top crust off all three cakes. Trim the
bottom crust off one cake – that’s your middle

layer. Place the first cake bottom, crust-side

down, on the cake stand. Layer with buttercream.

Place your cake trimmed of both crusts on next.

More buttercream. Then place your last layer,
bottom crust–side up (trimmed top crust–side
down). Trimming both crusts off the middle layer
means the layers will mellifluously meld together.

Place your two cakes on the work surface, top

side up, and shave the very top crusts off both
with a sharp serrated knife, just enough to expose
the internal crumb. Grab your offset spatula and a
tart tin base ready for moving fragile cake layers.

Put one trimmed cake on your cake stand/board
and cut the cake horizontally into two layers –
cutting about 1 cm (½ in) in from the edge of the
cake to get an even cut line. Then, using a gentle
sawing motion, cut completely through the cake
(keep the knife in the cake at all times – don’t pull
it out and reinsert it). Set aside and repeat with

the second cake. You now have two tops and

two bottoms.

Place a bottom on your serving stand or cake

board, cut-side up. Scoop around 100 g (3½ oz)
of the buttercream and smooth it all over the top
and just overhanging the side (this excess will
form part of the crumb coat).

Lift and place (or slide with a tart tin base) the

first top layer onto the buttercream. If you are off

centre, don’t panic, just shimmy the cake top back
to alignment. Repeat the buttercream – scoop
one-sixth, smooth out to over the edge. Next, add
the second top layer, scoop and smooth. Then flip

the second bottom, crust-side up (cut-side down).

Now swipe the buttercream overhang around the
side of the cake until coated thinly – you will see
the cake layers through the buttercream. Smooth
a little buttercream on top, again just to thinly

coat. This is your crumb coat, which locks in all

the stray cake crumbs so your pretty top coat will
be smooth and crumb free. Use a tissue or thin
cloth to wipe away any stray crumbs around the
base of the cake and on the cake stand/board.

Chill the crumb-coated cake for 5 minutes, or
until the buttercream feels tacky. If it hardens
too much, it won’t meld with the top coat of
buttercream.
crumb coat
top coat
three-layer cake anatomy
middle
top
icing
icing
bottom
icing