Ina Garten's Cake Decorating Tip For A Mess-Free Experience

Ina Garten is in a league of her own. The cookbook author, television personality, and expert in all things domestic has guided home cooks and hopeful party hosts for decades, with no signs of stopping. Of course we're apt to take every bit of her advice, whether it be in picking out a hostess gift or cooking an easy risotto. Her guidance also applies to the intense, and often intricate, world of cake decorating. She has some especially good advice for anyone hoping to avoid smudges when icing their cake.

Every home baker has faced it: the errant mess of icing smeared on the cake stand after working feverishly to produce a perfectly frosted cake. Garten's tip to avoid this unsightly mess is parchment paper. In a conversation with Trent Pheifer (via YouTube), the writer behind the Store-Bought is Fine blog, Garten suggests cutting parchment paper into triangle pieces, about the size of your hand, and placing them just under the sides of the cake. Then, ice your cake as usual. Use a paring knife to run under the bottom of your cake before removing the paper, et voilà! You have a perfectly clean and presentable cake for your next party or get-together.

There are a few other tips for clean cake decoration. For starters, make sure your cake is chilled, or at the very least set at room temperature, before frosting. This ensures your frosting doesn't melt when applied. For an even smoother finish, apply a rough crumb coat and refrigerate before applying your final frosting finish. You can also use another Ina Garten-approved tip and simply ice your cake in one, single direction.

Now, let's say you forgot to add those key, Garten-approved bits of parchment paper. Not to fret; you can always clean up any unexpected messes. For starters, you can wrap an offset spatula in a paper towel, dip it in warm water, then run it along your cake board to remove excess frosting. Work with care, attention to detail, and replace your paper towel as you go. If you don't want to risk a wet cloth, you can also use an icing scraper and dry paper towel for the same purpose. There you have it: a clean, well-presented cake, ready to be had — and eaten, too.