How to Build a Layered Cake

For beginner bakers, you may hear these terms thrown around like building a cake, crumb coat, cake scraper, and cake layers.

I’m here to break them down so anyone can decorate a cake like a pro.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BUILD A CAKE?

To build a cake means to fill and stack a cake. In particular, this process refers to layered cakes but can also be used for sheet cakes.

This step is often overlooked, and not many bakers spend time on it, yet this is what high-end cake decorators have perfected.

Building a cake can be called a variety of names like assembling or putting it all together; it all means the same thing.

The building process is the key to avoiding slanted layers by correctly filling, stacking, and frosting your cake.

The technique of building cakes is universal. You can use this foundational skill to build any cake recipe, filling, or style of cake.

I’ll demonstrate how to layer and stack cake with buttercream and specialty fillings. Any other type of frosting or filling is manageable and easy to figure out if you can master building a cake with buttercream.

GETTING READY:

PRE-MAKE CAKE LAYERS, FROSTINGS & FILLINGS AND PREPARE EQUIPMENT

It’s essential to get prepared ahead of time. Bake the cake layers and freeze them for at least 1-2 hours or overnight ahead of time; you can certainly make the frostings and fillings as well. The main reason is saving time and limiting feeling overwhelmed.

As soon as the cake layers are done baking, let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before carefully removing them and wrapping them in two layers of plastic wrap. Then place the wrapped cake layers into the freezer.

I should note that it’s a good idea to keep the cakes separate as they take longer to freeze if they are on top of each other. Freeze the cake layers for 1-2 hours or overnight.

Notice how I suggest freezing cakes versus refrigerating them. Refrigerating cake layers will dry them out. The freezer keeps them moist.

When it’s time to decorate cakes, remove the cakes from the freezer. Keep the plastic wrap on the cake layers while thawing to absorb the condensation. Then, place them on the counter to thaw for 10-20 minutes.

Allow them to thaw enough so you can carefully cut the tops of the cake, which we will talk about soon.

You can keep frostings like buttercream in the fridge for up to two weeks and most fillings for 2-3 days. While the cakes are freezing, that’s a great time to make the frosting or filling.

Buttercreams are made of butter and powdered sugar; they can stay at room temperature for hours. But whipped creams or cream cheese frostings need to be kept in the fridge until ready to use.

When it’s time to decorate, place the frosting on the counter to thaw for 30 minutes, then re-whip the frosting to make it light and fluffy.

You do this by mixing the frosting on medium-high for 5 minutes, then lower the speed to low to get all the air bubbles out.

If there are still air bubbles, use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to remove bubbles.

Keep in mind it’s important to remove air bubbles before adding the final layer of buttercream.

Place the prepared buttercream into a piping bag with no tip. It will be helpful when we begin building the cake.

Depending on the type of filling, fruit fillings like jams should be cold, while chocolate ganache does better at room temperature or slightly melted if it’s for a drizzle in between layers.

PREPARING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

The last step before cutting the cakes is gathering all the tools and equipment needed to decorate the cake.

Make sure you have a serrated knife or cake leveler, offset spatula, cake scraper, spinning turntable, cake board.

CUTTING THE TOP OFF THE CAKE

On the turntable with a cake board, place one unwrapped cake layer. Use a serrated knife or cake leveler to cut around the edge of the dome carefully.
Gently saw back and forth while turning the cake around. Be patient, and go slow! (If you are using a serrated knife, keep the knife blade horizontal and watch your fingers). Repeat for all cake layers.
Make sure to remove the parchment paper circle from the bottom of the cakes. Set the cake layers aside and wipe down your turntable and cake board.
Now that we have all the components prepared, I’ll see you in the next lesson, where we finally build the cake.

FILL & STACK CAKE LAYERS

FILLING & STACKING WITH BUTTERCREAM

On a turntable, place a small dollop of buttercream onto the center of a cake board. Place one cake layer, cut side facing up.
With a piping bag filled with buttercream, pipe 1/2-3/4 cup on top of the cake layer, start in the center of the cake. As you slowly spin the turntable, squeeze the piping bag and pipe a ring of buttercream from the center to the outside edge. Use an offset spatula to spread and smooth buttercream.
Then place another cake layer on top of the buttercream layer cut side down over the top. Repeat process for another layer.
Use the cake scraper to adjust and straighten the cake layers.

FILLING & STACKING WITH SPECIALTY FILLING (i.e., soft filling like jams, curds, caramel, or whipped cream)

On a turntable, place a small dollop of buttercream onto the center of a cake board. Place one cake layer, cut side facing up.
First, pipe a thin layer of buttercream on top of the cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
Next, pipe a ring of buttercream close to the edge of the cake.
Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling inside the ring of buttercream. Use an offset spatula to spread and smooth filling.
Place another cake layer cut side down over the top. Repeat process for another layer.
Something to note: you must pipe a ring of buttercream before adding the soft filling to prevent the filling from bulging outside the cake.

CRUMB COAT & FREEZE

WHAT IS CRUMB COATING?

After building, it’s time for the crumb coat. This popular question’s answer is super important to understand why you must crumb coat your cakes.

True to its namesake, the crumb coat is a thin base layer of frosting that’s purpose is to catch crumbs hence its name.

After crumb coating your cake, place it into the freezer for 30 minutes to set the frosting. It completes the crumb coat step and is often overlooked.

It also helps the cake be nice and smooth on the sides of the cake and avoids crumby frosting. Think of it like the sanding and priming steps before painting a dresser.

The more you practice, the more you will become comfortable with the process. You will also figure out what works for you and what doesn’t.

My first few cakes were covered in crumbs, and they were lumpy and bumpy. I was so impatient that I would skip over freezing the cake between the crumb coating and the final buttercream layer, significantly affecting the final product.

The crumb coat is beneficial when frosting a chocolate cake because those seem to be more crumbly by nature.

It also helps to even out your frosting surface and corrects the slated cake layers.

Once you have mastered building and crumb coating, you will feel more confident and ready to take on any cake design.

How to Crumb Coat

To review, the crumb coat refers to covering the stacked cake in a thin layer of frosting.

The goal is to lock in the loose crumbs and prevent them from getting into the final layer for presentation.

It also helps secure the fillings and prevents the cake from drying out while setting up in the freezer.

While slowly spinning the turntable, squeeze a thin layer from the buttercream-filled piping bag.
You are starting from the top of the cake and working your way down the cake.
Use an offset spatula to spread the buttercream into a thin layer all over the cake, making sure no crumbs become the final layer of buttercream. Scrape the crumby frosting into a small bowl to prevent crumbs from getting into the last layer.
Then use a cake scraper to make the buttercream layer smooth and even. Place into the freezer to chill and set for 30 minutes.
Something to note: freeze the cake for at least 30 minutes to set the filling. It settles the cake and gets it cold, so the buttercream’s final layer will be less troublesome.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BUILD A CAKE?

GETTING READY:

PRE-MAKE CAKE LAYERS, FROSTINGS & FILLINGS AND PREPARE EQUIPMENT