Building a cake comes down to three important stages: leveling, splitting, and filling. Here are seven steps to help you build and decorate your cake:
- Apply a small smear of buttercream, the same size as the cake, to the cake board. This will prevent sticking.
- Using the cake pan as your guide, use a serrated knife to make a level cut at the top of the cake. It should make it even with the cake pan.
- Using a ruler, find the vertical center point of your cake, and then mark it by lightly scoring it with a knife.
- Place your hand on top of the cake to keep it steady. Then make a horizontal cut all the way through the cake.
- Now you should be ready to fill it.
- You’ll make a dam around the perimeter of the cake with the buttercream. This is done so that you can hold the filling in place.
- Fill the cake with your filler of choice, top it with the next cake round, and then let it sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- Apply frosting
These are the basic steps for how to level, split, and fill a cake. Always remember to chill the cake for the requisite time (even overnight in the fridge), so that you avoid having a lopsided or messy cake.
If you’re interested in delicious cakes and desserts, but aren’t yet motivated to make your own, you can also come try ours. Check out all these delicious desserts and discover why Sweet Melissa Patisserie has been voted the best bakery in New Jersey! You can find us located at 56 Payne Road in Lebanon, and you can reach us by phone at 908-323-2460 if you have any questions.
We hope you enjoyed these baking/decorating tidbits. Find out more baking ideas from Melissa Murphy’s book, The Sweet Melissa Baking Book: Recipes from the Beloved Bakery for Everyone’s Favorite Treats. Don’t forget to read our other blog posts that delve into the basics of baking. With enough time and patience, you too can learn how to make savory, culinary delights.