Newbie again! When using a shaped/character pan if you don't want to fill in with stars, etc., is there a way to "crumb-coat" thin enough to see the shape? I tried it today by thinning my buttercream with light Karo and some water and applying with a brush, but found it did not "set-up" well, just stayed sticky. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions. Jan


PS It was a struggle, but I did manage to finish the cottontail bunny for my grandson. Will post a photo later.

I was wondering the same thing after doing my first shaped cake the other day. I felt I needed to do a base coat, but then I couldn't see the pattern on the pan. I am also wondering if you are supposed to do something to coat it first or do you just expect your star coating to cover all of it?

~AngelWendy

it helps to outline your details with a tip #3 or smaller then star fill.

Ladycake - never thought of that - What a great idea!!!

Oh!!! Duhhh! Never thought of that! Thanks for that idea!

~AngelWendy

Thanks to you all, I appreciate your replies! I've now done cakes both ways, and I prefer to have the crumb coat first, the idea of putting the pan back on to make an imprint is a really good one, thank you very much! This way, you can still follow the shape, put in outlines, and then fill in with stars or whatever tip you wish to use.

You also gave me good suggestions about the air bubbles in my cake, I guess I just overdid the mixing, this was the first time that particular little problem has happened, and I will definitely apply your methods on my cakes from now on. Thanks again, Jan.

I just posted a photo of my chocolate cottontail bunny for Easter! This is the one that prompted the question of crumbcoating these pans. With another bunny I tried pressing the pan on the iced cake to reinforce the outlines, but it didn't do much in making an impression in the icing, guess it had already set-up, anyway I didn't get any new marks on it. On this second one I iced directly on the cake with a spatula, and it looked okay, but the icing just kinda flaked off when the cake was cut, so I think I'd really prefer to crumbcoat if I can figure out how to keep the outlines visible. LMK what you think of him...he had pink outlines, etc., but it looks white in the picture! Janice

I just posted a photo of my chocolate cottontail bunny for Easter! This is the one that prompted the question of crumbcoating these pans. With another bunny I tried pressing the pan on the iced cake to reinforce the outlines, but it didn't do much in making an impression in the icing, guess it had already set-up, anyway I didn't get any new marks on it. On this second one I iced directly on the cake with a spatula, and it looked okay, but the icing just kinda flaked off when the cake was cut, so I think I'd really prefer to crumbcoat if I can figure out how to keep the outlines visible. LMK what you think of him...he had pink outlines, etc., but it looks white in the picture! Janice

I think that he looks cute. You did a really good job on it.
~Tanya

Thanks a lot, Tanya! I appreciate your kind words! Janice

(I didn't realize that the whole reply had gone in there twice, oops!)

I cant say I have ever crumb coated my character cakes, I' would be afraid it would see crumbs, no matter how thick or thin I did it but I will say if I dont want to do all the stars, I do a zigzag line, and it looks great, or use tip 233 (i think that is the Grass/furry fur tip) and it looks ok also.