So just how the hell does one ice a cake with royal icing?

[LynetteScavo]

With out getting really messy, creased sides?

Have, and read cake decorating books,and googled, and it all looks so easy.But it isn't!

Somebody, please help!

Somoe one musht have some top tips!

Do I just have to streatch the icing more?

Hi Lynette
Buy one from M and S?

Have you got a palette knife? If so you wet it and use it to smooth the icing around.

First you start by taking a bow...

then...

I don't know, I kind of go for the impressionistic look so it doesn't matter if the icing lasts.

Hi, Cornsilk, thankyou for being so lovely the other night.

My usual style is to buy one from M&S, lol.

I just really want to be able to ice a cake nicely!

The palette knife didn't work. The icing woudn't budge. I was using ready rolled, so will have another attempt this evening with ready made I have to roll my self.

Ok well I'm not sure how to use the ready rolled stuff to be honest. I presume that you cut a circle to fit the top and then a strip to wrap around the sides?

The intructions on the packet said you jsut doump it on the cake (it's already cut in a circle) and smooth over the edges. Voila the perfectly iced cake! (Not)

Is cutting a circle, the doing the edges a proper way. That's how DM told me to do it, but I didn't believe her.

I've never done it tbh but I think that is how you do it.

You get a sharper edge to the cake if you cut a circle and a strip.

Putting a big circle on the top and dumping it on will give softer edges if you are good at pushing it down, or a draped effect without a distinct edge if you aren't

I do know that if you want to give it a slight patterned finish you can place a damp cloth over it.

You ice it like this!

The video in the link won't work for me, but thanks anyway!

You roll out your icing and lay it on top of the cake. Smooth the top the best you can with your hand, or even better one of these, and then gently "love" it down the sides with both hands. It's far more difficult to do to begin with than books etc make out.

Be sure that the cake is prepped 1st before you roll out the fondant otherwise it will dry out and crack whilst you faff with jam etc. I think you will find cutting an exact circle and a long strip almost impossible, and you will then have to pipe royal icing to hide the join.

Another thing, and very important, is be sure that you don't roll the icing too thin as it is apt to tear. Good luck.

Molecule- What do you do with all the excess material. When I do it the way youve described I end up with a draped effect like a tablecloth. I cant seem to get a smooth side then as its too bumpy.

Kbaby, you kind of very gently, but firmly, smooth it down the sides, not doing a too big a section at one time, and then move on to the next bit. If it forms a drape/fold pull it out and smooth it down.

Try not to make the disc of icing much bigger than the diameter + sides of the cake being covered. You may end up with a couple of creases and this is where the smoother is very useful as it will help blend these in. Lumps are often caused by trapped air and again the smoother helps to move these.

I would not really attempt to cover a cake in fondant without a smoother

Thanks very much for the advice. I think before I embark on my next cake I had best practice this technique. This is where I seem to go wrong on all of the cakes. Would you recomend covering in marzipan too or would buttercream be ok on a sponge cake.

OK, are you ready for this?
Cut a bit of string to the size of icing area i.e. up one side, across the top and down the other. Place the cake on the cake board. Dampen the marzipan with a little vodka or cooled boiled water (butter cream is OK for a sponge cake in which case you don't need the vodka or water. You just need enough buttercream to fill any holes and for a thin layer all over). Roll out the fondant icing (royal icing is a thick meringue and needs to be applied with a spatula) to the dimensions of the string, making sure you use enough icing sugar underneath the icing while you are rolling it out to ensure it doesn't stick. Don't roll it too thin. Keep turning it, again so it doesn't stick to the work surface. Now take off all your rings, watches etc and roll up your sleeves. Slide your hands palms down underneath the icing so you are supporting the weight of the icing fully. Keep your hands beside each other so the icing can't stretch between them. Now position the icing centrally over the cake, place it on the cake and let it drape down the sides. Lightly rub the top to get rid of any air bubbles. Cup one of your hands and start stroking the icing upwards fairly firmly from the base to stick it to the sides. Use the other hand to ease the icing into the base and to spread out the excess icing round the base of the cake. Keep stroking the sides upwards until the icing looks smooth and there are no creases. Chop into the base of the cake with the side of your hand and cut off the excess icing. Now polish the icing with the palm of one hand until it stops feeling dry and becomes smooth and shiny. As Molecule said though, you do get a better result if you then go over it with a smoother, but don't fret about it too much if you don't have one.
HTH

WOW! Thankyou mable, that worked. Like magic!

I'm soooo chuffed. Thankyou so much!!!

PHOTO!!! Have been following thread but know nothing of icing

(I was madly trying to remember the name of the icing that you need to spatula on, so thank you for that Mable )

I'll post a photo, but I might not be able to do it untill this evening.

Glad it worked for you! Don't forget to post the photo.

I've posted a photo on my profile.

Ooh fabulous!!!!

Wow! The cake looks fantastic! Ready to ice a square one now?