How long does a 9" round cake have to cool before icing it?

[Ember]

I'll be using butter cream covered in fondant, if that makes a difference. Thank you!

 

[acejka]

I always wait until the cake is cool to the touch but I'm no professional.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If you can get a breeze on it, it will cool faster. Or set it in. Cold garage.

But you don't want to feel any heat coming from the cake.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Cold and firm with just a thin layer of buttercream.

 

[goofyernmost]

I'm not a professional but I'd say until it's not hot anymore.

 

[MrsPete]

Let it cool 'til it's 100% room temperature -- not even a hint of heat left. Other people have made good suggestions about hurrying this along: Put it in a cold garage, under a fan, etc. Err on the side of too much cooling time.

Letting it cool is especially important if you're using real buttercream. Think about how little heat it takes to melt butter. And heat is the kiss of death for fondant.

 

[AKL_Megs]

YES, let it cool 100%!!!

Last weekend, last minute and in a rush, I found out I needed to make a cake. I made it, put it outside for an hour, and attempted to frost it.

It was pretty cool to the touch, but needless to say, I ended up not being able to provide a HOMEMADE cake for the event... I had to buy one.

But we had a special new dessert that my husband dubbed "Messy Cake". It was a disaster!