To ice a sponge cake
Once you have filled your cake with buttercream, cover the whole outside of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream. This is called a crumb coat and will prevent crumbs from getting into the icing and will also act as an adhesive for the sugarpaste to stick to.
Knead your sugarpaste until smooth and pliable and start with the creased side facing upwards. Dust your surface with cornflour and begin to roll out your icing between your spacers. Keep lifting and turning your icing to prevent it sticking to the surface, and to help keep it in an even shape.
When your icing is rolled out to the correct size, lift it on your rolling pin and lay it over your sponge cake. Smooth the top with your hand then work around the sides lifting out any pleats (do not be tempted to squash pleats/creases into the cake). Smooth around with your hand until all sides are covered. Polish with your smoothers, pinching the edges if necessary and taking care not to mark the board. Remove any air bubbles with a scribe, carefully making a hole and easing the air out.
Trim excess icing from around the board with a palette knife and smooth any rough edges on the board with your hand.
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