Sliding Cake Can Ruin A Frosting Job, But This Expert Knows The Trick To Stable Layers

Making a cake is an endeavor that every baker has or will take on at some point in their life, but one that can present its fair share of challenges. This is especially the case if you choose to frost the cake with precise designs or are dealing with a multi-layered cake. While different types of frostings have their own difficulties, finding a way to apply the delicious topping evenly and without the cake sliding is absolutely vital, and according to one baker, there are a few great ways to ensure you succeed as far as these two variables are concerned.

Victoria Fisk, the co-founder and confectionery chef at Bouqedibles, explained that the easiest way to keep your cake from sliding is actually by adding a small amount of frosting to the bottom of the cake and placing it on top of the cake board. "I 'glue' the first layer to the board with a small amount of buttercream, which creates a secure connection so the cake doesn't slide," Fisk noted, "The same method works when using ganache." This isn't necessarily an unheard-of trick, but it is undoubtedly an easy method to keep things in place as you frost the cake without needing special equipment.

Now, beyond securing the cake to the cake board, there are a few other factors that can help you frost your cake without worry. For starters, if you have a simple tool that is a cake turntable, things are made much easier when it comes to seamlessly frosting a cake. " ... It keeps the cake steady and removes the need to adjust its position by hand while filling and frosting," Victoria Fisk explained. Alternatively, Fisk also noted that using a thin piece of acetate film to wrap around your cake — something you'll often find on cakes at bakeries — and supporting it with a ring can also keep larger cakes in place as you apply frosting to each layer.

However, a lot of what you'll want to be paying attention to is the cake itself. You need to cool your cake effectively before you frost it — ideally for around an hour at room temperature — to ensure that the cake is firm and won't split as a result of applying pressure to its surface when frosting. But that's not all. "The sponge, filling, and other elements should be cold or at room temperature so nothing melts," Fisk advised.