Is one better than the other one?? I've never done either, actually, so maybe the question should be which is easier!!

I'm making a cake this weekend for St Patricks day and i want to do a rainbow. What would be the easist way to do that? I also want to do some shamrocks and maybe a pot of gold. Any ideas??


Thanks!

i really like the fbct...i tried using the choc icing out of the can dyed it black and it didnt work out very well for the outline but the bc parts turned out fine.... for images i would just google them and dont forget to reverse some of the images before you print it!

I tried the piping gel method once and it was a disaster. I love FBCT's, I have done many and I have posted a few photos. I have used the store bought black decorating icing and it works okay, although my preferred method is the store bought chocolate icing with black food coloring.

I was also wondering about this. What is the benefit of the FBCT? It almost sounds like more work to me! I have a couple character cakes coming up this month that I have to do and was thinking about trying it.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE piping gel transfers. I've done FBCT and do not like them. They take too long, bright colors tend to bleed due to the condensation that naturally forms when the icing thaws from a frozen state to room temp, and they have the potential to crack. Plus, you can get airbubbles in the icing that you might not see and that looks like crap in the finished product.

I do piping gel transfers for virtually every kids cake I do. They always come out beautifully and I am always very pleased with them.

~ Sherri

How do you reverse the image??

You can reverse the image in your printer's properties.

I'm pretty new to all of this, just started decorating in November. Learned most on my own. So, what is a FBCT. I gather that it is frozen, but am not getting enough info. to determine how you do this.
Thanks.

I know what FBCT is, but what is a piping gel transfer? I guess I could look it up

acholloway - it's Frozen buttercream transfer

sugarbunz

Is there a book or a site or anywhere that I can look to find out how to do this? I have done a couple of piping gel transfers, but they smear and it is hard to tell what is what. I do have a kopykake projector coming soon, maybe that will be better?

If your piping gel transfers smear, you're just using way too much pressure while you are tracing the pattern with your paintbrush. It only takes a very light touch.

So, is that why they smear? I am not aware of too much pressure, but that is probably it.
Thanks.

Sure!

First, ice your cake in a crusting buttercream and allow your buttercream to crust well. Print out your pattern and tape it to the table, a cookie sheet, cardboard cake circle, or something flat. Tape a piece of parchment paper over your pattern, using just a couple of pieces of tape, and make sure your parchment paper is flat and wrinkle-free. Load a bag with a small amount of piping gel and a tip 2 (that's my preference; a 1 will work too if your pattern has a great deal of detail) and pipe over the entire pattern or message, taking care to let the piping gel fall out of the tip in a nice rounded line, not a flat line that happens when you keep your tip on the surface while you pipe. Gently detach the parchment paper and place the image, piping gel down, on your cake. Don't use any pressure when applying the parchment to the icing or you risk smearing the gel. Use a small paintbrush to gently brush over the entire image/message. You will be able to see when the piping gel is adhering to the cake as it changes appearance on the parchment paper. If you trace too lightly, your piping gel won't stick, and if you trace too hard, your piping gel will squish. Use a light touch, and once you've traced the entire thing, carefully peel your parchment paper off. Voila! Your image/message is there in clear piping gel with only YOU knowing that you didn't free-hand it. Outline/pipe in buttercream as usual.

If you're doing this with a message, just remember to trace your message backwards, so that when you flip it to place it on your cake, it's not backwards.

I just use a tip 3 to outline the design and a tip 3 or 4 to fill in the design. Then, after the icing has crusted, I use a fingertip dipped in cornstarch to pat the icing down a bit. With my Spongebob pattern transfers, I don't try to get a uniform smoothness because he's a sponge. Pics here: http://www.buttercreamdreams.com/spongebob_cakes.htm For other cakes, I do pat the icing down more uniformly so they are flat.

I hope that's clear enough to understand!

~ Sherri

ps...I only add piping gel to buttercream that I'm using to outline with, as it gives it a bit of elasticity and the icing is not so apt to break while you're outlining.

Thanks Sherri,
Those are very clear instructions. One more question....
After the piping gel image is on the cake, do you outline right on top of the piping gel with buttercream?
Thanks,
Lisa
ps. your cakes look great!

Hi,

Thanks!

Yes, just outline right on top of the piping gel. If, after you're finished, there are any shiny little tell-tale areas outside of your outline, just remove the excess piping gel with a decorator brush/paintbrush.

~ Sherri

Thanks for the great explanation, Sherri. I am going to have to give this a try myself since I missed in it Course 1. It is to easy to not try it (after reading your post that is) if only these shaking hands will be still long enough!

I just visited all of your website and your cakes are AWESOME! And I mean AWESOME! That white wedding cake with all the scroll work on it that you painted in 24K Gold is my favorite! It is a stunner!
Your aquarium is awesome too!

Stop it, you're making me blush! LOL

You're very sweet.

Wow sherri, thanks for all that help!! That's going to be a huge lifesaver this weekend when i try it for the 1st time! You're awesome!!

You're very welcome! I am looking forward to seeing your cake!!

Thanks,
Sherri