Ina Garten's Brilliant Tips for the Perfect Bakery-Style Cake

My family has a favorite cake that I always make for birthdays—the one on the back of the Hersey’s Cocoa canister. While it’s delicious, it isn’t always pretty. No one seems to care about its appearance, but sometimes I look at it and think, "Someday I’ll learn to make this look a little better."

Today was that day, and I didn’t even have to search for the advice I needed. The host of "Barefoot Contessa" frequently shares tips on social media. She taught us how to make perfectly fluffy eggs. She gave us permission to eat cake for breakfast. Ina recently started an "Ask Ina" series on her Instagram account, inviting followers to ask questions in the comments that she answers in video form.

The latest question she answered was about icing a cake: "How do you ice a cake without getting crumbs in the frosting?" The advice she gave is so simple that I should be able to level up my cake game the next time I make a birthday cake. It’s all about how you handle the frosting.

Ina Garten’s 5 Tips for Frosting a Layer Cake Like a Pro

1. Refrigerate the layers first so the cake doesn’t break or crumb easily when spreading the icing.
2. Put four pieces of parchment or wax paper on the edges of the cake turntable to slip out after the cake is completely frosted. Run a sharp knife between the cake and the paper before removing the pieces. This will leave a clean edge on the bottom of the cake and ensure there’s no icing on the cake plate.
3. Put icing on the bottom layer and use an offset spatula to always spread it in the same direction so "you never get crumbs in the icing."
4. Put the second layer on top (flat side on top for a more professional look). Start with the sides of the cake and always go in one direction. Ina goes from the bottom of the cake to the top. Then she ices the top of the top layer in the same way she iced the bottom layer. 
5. Heat up a knife with hot water, dry it off, and then run it over the sides of the cake and the top to make a shiny, smooth surface.

Finally, if your cake doesn’t turn out absolutely perfect, Ina has one last piece of advice: "It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s going to be just delicious."

I can attest to that truth after years of making messy chocolate cakes. But I still think I’ll give her tips a try next time.