Crumb Coating

[Akos]

Hello hello hello. Trust everyone is well. I am too.

Question please : Instead of completely using buttercream under fondant, after shaping the cakes, a friend mixed the leftover crumbs with buttercream to crumbcoat the cake before covering with fondant. Is that right, even if she wanted to cut down on cost?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hello hello hello. Trust everyone is well. I am too.

Question please : Instead of completely using buttercream under fondant, after shaping the cakes, a friend mixed the leftover crumbs with buttercream to crumbcoat the cake before covering with fondant. Is that right, even if she wanted to cut down on cost?

Why Akso,
Mixing crumbs into the buttercream defeats the purpose of a crumb coat. The crumb coat is a barrier between the cake surface and crumbs. It ensures the smoothest possible finish on the exterior of the cake. Fondant will show every imperfection under the cake. Crumbs added to the buttercream could produce a rough texture that shows on the outside.

The other purpose of a crumb coat it to keep the cake color from showing through the foundant. If a chocolate cake is covered in white or light colored fondant, it will show through. So when the cake color is in deep contrast to the fondant you need to make sure the cake is completely covered in a buttercream or ganache that matches the fondant.

Beyond that you have to think about what the cake will look like sliced and plated. Do you really want a layer of buttercream crumbs between the fondant and the cake?

 

[Akos]

@Norcalbaker59, I was surprised that was why I asked on this forum, because I wasn't taught a mixture of crumbs and buttercream to crumbcoat coat a cake. I'm happy of your answer. These are her reasons:
* I add the crumbs for wedding cakes and ordinary cakes that are super moist. The crumbs give the cake a little body. I also heard that's where the name crumb coating came from

* I realized I get a perfect shape and finish when I add the crumbs to the butter.

* Coz cakes are layered, it hides the the demarcations or any hole around the cake for you to get smoothness(the crumb coating)

* Wedding cake yes. Birthday cake just crumb coat with buttercream. It gives it a stable and thick layer to work around easily

* It's to fill the holes in a cake if there's any . especially fruits cake. U'll have to take out a lot of fruits wen carving. That way of crumb coating is to fill in holes.

Interesting huh.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

@Akos, boy I’ll say it’s interesting. Nothing makes any sense. Her belief that the term crumb coat refers to mixing crumbs into the buttercream is just odd. Crumb coating refers to sealing the cake with buttercream to prevent crumbs from getting in the icing. I was very curious as to her reasoning; but I can’t find any logic in her approach.

 

[Becky]

I've never heard of anyone intentionally putting crumbs into their frosting either! The crumb coat is meant to be a way to seal any loose crumbs to the cake so that they don't mix with the top layer of frosting

 

[Akos]

Thanks @Norcalbaker59 and @Becky. That's why I trust this group. Thanks once again