I saw Godiva's brush embroidery cake (gorgeous!) and was wondering, when you do the brush embroidery, so you have to use royal icing or can you use buttercream?
I vaguely remember learning the technique in one of my Wilton classes, but we didn't spend much time on it and never actually put it on a cake. I've been wanting to try it, but the right cake opportunity hasn't presented itself yet. I think I might try it for a co-worker's birthday that's coming up. I love the painted look of Godiva's cake!

You use buttercream icing. Make when you go in to do the brush work dampen your brush with clear vanilla. Dampen it frequently because it will pull the icing out and not mess up the border you have left.

You can certainly use royal icing as well on a fondant covered cake. Use tip two or three if you like, and pipe your outline. With a damp but not dripping firm small paint brush pull a little bit of the outline towards the center of your design. Try not to have your brush too wet because it will not give the effect you are looking for but a runny mess. It does take practice!!!! Good luck and I can't wait to see what you've created. I've used brushed embroidery on my royal iced covered cookies and it looks so pretty. Not that I think mine is fantastic or something but it was my first attempt and it didn't turn out too bad. Anyway, good luck.


Amy

ok... another question, same topic.

Can you do the brushed embroidery over a buttercream base?
So far I've only seen it over fondant or ganache.

yes, you can use it on buttercream, you just have to let it crust good before you start

I have never seen or heard of brush embroidery being done on buttercream but I would definately let it crust well!!! I would also make sure your brush isn't too damp as you could soften the BC and I would imagine the "brush embroidery" would soften and lose it's appearance. Like I said, I've never seen it done on BC!


Amy

i'm going to try and post a picture with this of a cake iced in buttercream with brush embroidery - don't know if it'll work or not:

thyterrell ~ that looks great! Have you done the brushed embroidery much? Any suggestions ther than letting the base icing crust really well?

And does this mean that you would not recommend using Dawn's buttercream for this project?

unfortunately, i can't claim this cake. it was made by a friend of mine. i just wanted to show what it would look like on buttercream and that it could be done. she just uses an all shortening buttercream. but she let it crust really well before doing the embroidery.

The embroidery is so pretty, light and delicate, I'll have to try it soon. My mother has recently taken up embroidery again since she can't quilt any more, I'd like to make one for her. Hope it is okay that I save the photo for an example. Janice

Janice - I had permission from my friend to post that picture, so it'll be fine for you to save it. She does such beautiful work!

Thats so lovely! I am going to go bake a little something this evening just so I can try a little something...LOL..I will post the outcome tonight or tomorrow!

Hey there!
Thanks for you kind comment
I used R.I. and used a damp paint brush...
Problem was I was too lazy to make fresh royal icing...Too runny.

..must be the weekend for brushed embroidery! I 'm making a fondant covered 50th anniversary cake, with brushed embroidery cherry blossoms and brushed embroidery apple blossoms (with gold luster dust airbrushed on too). I use thin buttercream icing to do the embroidery instead of royal icing but I don't need to dip the brush in water, just wipe the icing off the brush after every few strokes.

Hi
Do you use a template of some sorts for this? Or is it done freehand?

Thanks

I love to do brush embroidery.....I've only done it on BC, it's so easy and fun. You could use cookie cutters for patterns, just press lightly on the crusted BC and then go from there. Here's a picture of some of the brush embroidery that I have done.

I have a couple of cakes in my photo album that are brush embroidery. I just used a mini cookie cutter as a guide and then piped BC onto the impression made by the cutter and then used the damp brush to pull the BC inward. I love this technique!

When I do brush embroidery (normally royal icing on fondant) I scribe the design onto the fondant first, then ice using the original picture as a guide