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There is nothing more disappointing than having a cake that is speckled with crumbs, unless of course that is the look you are going for, like my Brooklyn Blackout Cake. However, sometimes you’ll want pristine white or a perfectly smooth surface to write on. Once you have the dome trimmed off the top of your cake, the layers cut and then assembled with your favorite filling, it is time for a crumb coat. This is a quick and simple step that acts as a guarantee that your final layer of icing will be clean and crumb free. This technique is particularly helpful when you are working with Devil’s Food Cake and White icing, the ultimate combination in taste and pesky crumbs.
Equipment I used in the Crumb Coat Video:
Revolving Cake Decorating Stand
Offset Spatula or Straight Spatula – For getting the icing on your cake smoothly. I use both an offset and a straight spatula. Both are great, you just have to determine which is more comfortable. You want at least an 8-inch blade for icing a cake.
Cardboard Cake Circle – I build all my cakes on them, it just makes it so much easier to move the cake around. Be sure to order the right size for your cake or get slightly larger ones you can cut to the right size.
See Part 1: How to Cut and Fill your cake like a Pro!
Thanks for stopping by. I'm Zoe Francois, pastry chef and cook book author. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. 
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks zoe ! can hardly wait for the rest of the videos!!! i usually struggle with gettin that nice sharp edge on top , all round .. a perfect circle if u know what i mean.. but you seem to be gettin it so easily!! guess practise makes perfect eh? =)
This is awesome and a great tutorial on frosting. I struggle with getting my frosting smooth, making a circular design to compensate; well now I know why! Thank you and I look forward to more videos.
I am loving these series, Zoe! There’s so much to learn from you!
great tutorials as always, thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Thank you for this post, I am learning so much from you! Looking forward to see more videos on cake frosting and decorating.
Thanks, Zoe! Your videos are great and very helpful. Hope to see you again at the next blogger event.
I first discovered “crumb coating” last year and I just love the way you explain it. My cakes are so smooth and crumb free now, I just love it!
thank you so much for this video. It explained so much so well.
I love that you’re baking barefoot. Thank you for the tip on putting a damp paper towel under the cake board! Simple, genius, exactly the little tibdit I needed.