What Is a Crumb Coat and Why Do I Need One When I Frost My Cake?
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
The secret to a swoon-worthy cake starts with the very first layer of frosting. It's called a crumb coat, and can turn your cake's presentation from "meh" to "marvelous"!
A gorgeous homemade cake is a labor of love. From flour-dusting the pans to mixing, baking and cooling the cake itself, you’re already well into the second hour of prep before the best part even starts—frosting!
From the five types of buttercream to the fluffy cream cheese frosting atop this Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake, that most delicious finishing touch will look (and taste) all the better if you add a crumb coat first.
What Is a Crumb Coat?
It’s simply a thin layer of icing applied to seal the cake layers, trapping errant crumbs. It’s all too easy to jump right in with a generous dollop of frosting, but skipping the crumb coat isn’t recommended.
Anyone who has ever botched a frosting job can relate! Armed with a bowl of beautiful icing, you start to work on the dessert your cake stand was made for. A few overly enthusiastic icing attempts later and it’s a crumbly, bumpy mess. The more you try to smooth over it, the worse it looks—not to mention how much frosting you’ve used in the process, with a whole lot of cake left to cover. It’s a baking frustration easily avoided with the crumb coat. Thinly applied, it acts as a primer—the foundation for a swoon-worthy finish.
You don’t even need fancy equipment to pull it off. If you have a cake stand that you can easily turn as you work, all it really takes is patience. An offset spatula can make the task easier, too.
- Wilton 13″ Offset Spatula (our Test Kitchen’s fave)
- Wilton Cake Turntable
Ready to try your hand at a crumb coat? No need to wait for a birthday celebration to roll around. We’re big fans of baking cakes on any day that ends in Y! Here are a couple of our favorite layer cake recipes. Just bake, cool, seal, frost the layers—and eat!
40 Amazing Layer Cake Recipes
Years ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you'll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe won first prize. —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
Chocolate Hazelnut TorteMost cake recipes feed a crowd. So we came up with this elegant little cake that serves six. That's enough for two…with just the right amount of leftovers! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Peanut Butter ‘N’ Jelly CakeI made this fun and flavorful peanut butter and jelly cake for my son's first birthday. He just turned 33, and he still has to have his favorite treat. Kids of any age have a hard time turning down peanut butter and jelly—especially when it comes tucked into cake and frosting! —Linda Graybill, Sebring, Florida
Chocolate Bavarian TorteWhenever I take this eye-catching torte to a potluck, I get so many requests for the recipe. —Edith Holmstrom, Madison, Wisconsin
Rich Chocolate Peanut Butter CakeThe combination of mocha and peanut butter will satisfy every sweet tooth at your table. The garnish is a little extra work, but what are special occasions for? —Tammy Bollman, Minatare, Nebraska
Italian Cream Cheese CakeButtermilk makes every bite of this awesome Italian cream cheese cake recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this recipe year-round. —Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri
Mama's Spice CakeWhenever I get a craving for a tasty old-fashioned treat, I make this cake. Great cooks in my family have been baking it for generations, and their families have been enjoying the wonderful spice flavor and rich frosting.
—Nancy Duty, Jacksonville, Florida
Come-Home-to-Mama Chocolate CakeYou'll spend less than a half hour whipping up this cure-all cake that starts with a mix. Sour cream and chocolate pudding make it rich and moist, and chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate make it decadent comfort food at its finest. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Hummingbird CakeThis impressive hummingbird cake is my dad’s favorite, so I always make it for his birthday. It makes a memorable dessert for any celebration and is lovely with a summer meal. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Spiced Devil's Food CakeOne of my mom's friends gave her this recipe when I was a child and it has been a family favorite ever since. When your "chocolate sweet tooth" acts up, this really hits the spot! —Linda Yeamans, Ashland, Oregon
Contest-Winning Chocolate Potato CakeI won grand champion honors in a potato festival baking contest with this moist chocolate cake. The icing recipe can be doubled if you have a real sweet tooth. —Catherine Hahn, Winamac, Indiana
Million Dollar CakePineapple and mandarin oranges give this easy cake a refreshing, tropical twist. With cake mix and pudding mix as ingredients, it is a breeze to put together when you're short on prep time. Plus, it needs to chill before serving, so it's a perfect make-ahead dessert for potlucks and parties! —Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Originally Published: September 24, 2018
