Ten Ways to Transfer Images to Cakes

Ten Ways to Transfer Images to Cakes by Kim Fess of Virginia Layout & Editing by Diane Shavkin NY

Pin-Outlining

This is the easiest method. It is only suitable for very simple designs.

a. Trace design onto parchment or waxed paper.

b Cut out the traced design.

c. Ice cake. Let icing crust.

d. Pin or hold design on cake and trace or prick the outline ont the cake with a pin or toothpick.

Gel Transfer

This is a fast method, but it is difficult to use for very intricate designs. It produces a mirror image.

a.Cover the design with parchment paper.

b. Trace over the design with lightly-tinted piping gel from a small hot cut in a parchment bag (approximately tip #1.)

c.Ice cake. Let icing crust.

d. Turn parchment over and press the piping gel onto the cake.

Pouncing

This method is somewhat tedious, but with it you can reproduce very intricate, tight designs.

a.Trace design onto parchment or waxed paper.

b. With pin or pouncing wheel prick through the design. The more intricate the design, the closer together the pin pricks must be.

c. Ice cake. Let icing crust.

d. Put parchment or waxed paper in place on cake.

e. With a smal brush, push cocoa powder (or confectioners' sugar on a dark cake) through the holes in the paper.

f. Very carefully, remove the parchment or waxed paper.

Royal Icing Pattern Press

This method is good for a design that must be repeated a number of times.

a. Using a permanent marker (that is, a Sharpie), trace the design onto an appropriately-sized piece of Plexiglas.

b.Glue a handle onto the Plexiglas on the side on which the design is traced.

c. On the other side of the Plexiglas, pipe the design with royal icing. Overpipe. Let dry, then overpipe again. Dry thoroughly.

d.Let buttercream icing crust before using the press. Use on rolled fondant before it crusts.

Piping Gel Pattern Press

This method is also good for designs that must be repeated a number of times, but it has the added advantage of being flexible, so that it can be used on curved surfaces. It produces a mirror image.

a. Cover design with parchment paper.

b.Trace over design with lightly-tinted piping gel from a small hole cut in a parchment bag (approximately tip #1.)

c. Let piping gel dry.

d.Let buttercream icing crust before using press.

Rice Paper Outline

With this method you can do very intricate designs.

a. Trace design onto the smooth side of a piece of wafer paper using a food color pen.

b.Cut out the wafer paper very close to the design outline.

c.Coat the rough side of the wafer paper witha think layer of clear piping gel.

d. Lay the wafer paper gel-side down on the iced cake. Outline and fill in the design with buttercream, marshmallow creme flow-in, or piping gel.

Piping Gel Plaque

Use this method if you want a stained glass effect and you want to do your design ahead of time. It produces a mirror image.

a. Cover design with parchment, tracing or onionskin paper (no waxed paper.)

b.Outline and fill in completely with piping gel.

c. Let piping gel dry for at least 24 hours.

d.Ice cake. Let icing crust.

e.Turn paper over so piping gel design is on the cake.

f. With damp sponge wet the paper until it easily pulls off the piping gel.

Rice Paper with Piping Gel

With this method you can do very intricate designs with piping gel, food colors or the air brush. It produces a mirror image.

a.Trace design onto the rough side of a piece of wafer paper using a food color pen.

b. Turn the wafer paper over. Then either (1) Outline and fill in completely with piping gel, or (2) Coat entire surface with a think layer of clear piping gel; then, using a water color brush dipped into paste or liquid food color, tint the areas to be colored, or (3) Lightly airbrush colors into proper places; dry, then coat with a thin layer of clear piping gel.

c.Set aside to dry.

d.When you are ready to use the wafer paper design, turn it over and brush the underside with clear piping gel, then lay it on the iced cake. Outline the edges with a border of buttercream icing. This should be done one day in advance of serving the cake.

Color-Flo (Run Sugar)

This method produces a keepsake piece which can be very detailed.

a.Cover design with waxed paper. Outline with royal icing and a tip #3.

b. Thin down the royal until it resembles free-flowing syrup. Add colors as desired.

c.From a small hole cut in a parchment bag, flow the thinned icing into the outlines.

d. Allow 24 to 48 hours for the piece to dry. Ease it gently off the waxed paper.

e.Do not place the plaque directly on a buttercream-iced cake. Elevate it with sugar cubes, so the buttercream icing will not break it down.

Frozen Buttercream

This method is easy and fast. It produces a mirror image.

a.Cover design with a piece of window glass. Tape a piece of waxed paper to the glass.

b.Outline and fill in the design with buttercream icing.

c.Completely cover filled-in design with about a 1/4-inch layer of the buttercream icing that you will use to ice the cake.

d. Freeze the design (still on the window glass) until hard.

e. Remove the waxed paper from the window glass and lay the paper buttercream-side down on the cake. Peel off the waxed paper.