How to Ice a Cake From a Moulded Cake Tin
Easy Instructions for Icing a Shaped Kids' Novelty Birthday Cake
Jul 29, 2008
Using a moulded cake tin can be a welcome alternative to cutting and shaping a sheet cake. Most cake decorating stores rent a large selection of tins out fairly cheaply, and will include a laminated photo of the finished cake for colour reference.
Preparing the Cake
Bake the cake well in advance to allow for mishaps. Individual tins vary as to greasing requirements; most require greasing and flouring. Choose a cake mixture which is not too crumbly or spongey, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for cooling and turning out the cake. Once cooled, cut off any overhang caused by excess rising. If time permits, freeze the cake for easier icing.
Crumbing Down
Most novelty cakes are iced with buttercream. Freezing the cake will prevent crumbs getting into the icing; however, for a really professional finish, 'crumb down' the cake before icing. Simply apply a very thin smear of buttercream across all surfaces, trapping the crumbs and ensuring the cake will not show through the top layer of frosting.
Icing the Sides of the Cake
The easiest way to ice the sides of a flat novelty cake is to use a piping bag and giant basketweave nozzle. The largest size of basketweave nozzle is the width of the sides of the cake. Pipe one 'row' around the edge, and you're done!
Icing the Top of the Cake
Again, the easiest method is to use a piping bag. First, using the laminated photo of the cake as a guide, outline the cake with a black or dark chocolate-coloured icing. This gives definition to the final result, and is especially important for cakes which only use a few colours. For example, a Winnie-the-Pooh cake should be outlined around the arms in order to avoid looking like a homogenous yellow mass.
To fill in the coloured sections, use a fairly small star-shaped nozzle. Working quickly, pipe each section full of stars. Keep the stars close together so they touch, and aim for a random pattern rather than straight rows. Using stars rather than spread icing ensures that the contours of the moulded tin are followed correctly, and gives a professional finish. If preferred, certain sections of the cake can be piped in rows rather than stars for a different look.
Once all the sections are filled in, decorate the cake with any candy or sprinkles required. Store a buttercream-iced cake in the fridge until serving. Candles can be placed on the cake itself, or planted in piped swirls of icing on the cake board or serving platter.
