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How to Build a 3D Tux Cake
Home Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
Step 6: Ice the outside of the cake
Raise of hands, who knows why we put icing on the outside of the cake? Yes, you there, with the funny hair. Um, I mean interesting haircut. That's right, there's two reasons! First of all, you need something for the modelling chocolate to stick to, so that it doesn't just fall off when you cut the cake. Secondly, it offers a little bit of a cushion for the modelling chocolate, which will come in handy later when you have to mold it.
Now, there's a couple of schools of thought on this one. Some people use a giant piping tip to apply a rough coat of icing, as they spin the cake around on the turntable, then go back and smooth it out later with their offset spatula. Generally speaking, the people that do this are not the same ones that work in bakeries that have to slam out several cakes a week. It's just too slow. Most professionals just scoop up buttercream with their offset spatula and go to town. I've found that it takes about a third of the time. As you look at the photos, you'll notice that I have a lot of crumbs in my buttercream. I've never been good at keeping crumbs out, so I usuallyput on what's called a crumb coat first, and then a second coat once the buttercream hardens. Since we'll be covering it all up with modelling chocolate anyway, only a crumb coat is needed.
