Does anyone have any tips for how to do this well? I've tried gently smushing them before they're frozen, after they're frozen, and when they're on the cake, but especially in the filled-in areas, you can still see the lines where I've piped. Also, any tips for getting it smooth once it's on the top of the cake? Should I just make a huge one that covers the whole top of the cake so at least it's even?

I have the same problem. I can see every line in my FBCT attempts.

Nope - I've never gotten one completely smooth. But ya know what? Nobody will ever notice!!! They're just so amazed that you did the design in icing that the rest is just gravy.

What's a FBCT? I probably have lines in mine as well.

I've really gotten down a system for the fbct -- check out my pics for some.

Here are some tips:

* If the cake is small enough, do the entire top as an fbct.

* Don't just pipe the lines - push the tip down into the icing so that it almost touches the front. Then move the tip so that you're actually pushing the icing around as it comes out, instead of just letting the icing pipe out lines. You'll have much fewer marks of any kind this way.

* You will have air holes with the above method, but you can use a toothpick to smoosh the icing around a bit (lift up so you can see the front and where you need to do this). OR, you can use your spatula knife and lightly pat/push down on the back. Both ways work for me.

* I now only use high ratio shortening. It holds together so much better I can't even know how I lived without it.

* After the fbct is on the cake, take a #1 tip and fill in any areas oh so lightly. Use a paint brush to smooth it out.

I can get more detailed if you like, but I don't know how much more you need. Just pm me if you want.

Hope this helps.

S.

this is very helpful and I hope others have more hints, I am still struggling with this techniques.

You already got some great advice from Sonoma, but I have a couple of other suggestions to add.

-I normally cover the whole cake with my transfer (even did a full sheet cake once), it just makes it look so much nicer.
-I hate the lines too, I do my FBCT like Sonoma, although when I get done (before I put the final coat on the back) I take my Melvira roller and roller the whole transfer. Then I put on the buttercream coat and roller again. I don't have to worry about lines at all anymore.
-Once I stick the FBCT I use my Melvria roller again to roller the whole transfer onto the cake, this helps it to stick as well as smoothing it out nice and flat.

I hope this helps, I have some good examples in my photos.

I really would like to know what fbct is. I'm learning most of the shortcuts here but this one has me stumped.

I always make sure the outline icing is firm and my filling icing is very "loose." Thin isn't quite the word I'm looking for. I whip the filling-in icing more so that it is fluffier, lighter. I use plexi glass so that when I'm done I can peel off the coloring page and see the other side. You can get a small piece from scrap at a very reasonable price from most hardware stores. I over coat the whole thing with the main icing color of the cake and then start pushing and smoothing. Look through the glass, spot some lines, push and smooth some more. Usually my design takes up the entire cake, so I usually do flip over a cake sized transfer. Because of that, I let mine freeze completely.

I also found that if I use a bigger tip, say 3-5, I don't have as many lines/squiggles. After I have place my FBCT, I will let it crust and smooth just as I would any other cake.

lorrieg,
Here is a link to FBCT.
http://cakecentral.com/article12-How-To-Create-a-Frozen-Buttercream-Transfer.html

darkchocolate

Thanks so much, ya'll! I'm gonna do one later today and I'll let you know how it comes out!

I use the receipe with the tutorial, but I don't think mine crusted the last time. So I could not use the roller, it just wanted to stick to my roller. We usually have alot of humidity does that make a difference in buttercream crusting?

Thanks Shaina! I haven't tried one yet but they look interesting. Bet I'll still get lines the first few times. These tips here sound great.

Thanks so much for all your advice! This one definitely came out with fewer "lines." This is a practice that I did for a cake I'm supposed to do for my MIL next week...I think when I do the real one I'm gonna trace around the black outline again after I put the transfer on...And please ignore the crappy border!

Kitty, that Elvis is great! I'm still working on the fbct...grrrrr. I know it'll just take more practice. --Marianne

Thanks! Honestly, I think it looks better in the picture than it did in person, though!


I think the biggest thing about FBCTs is the frosting you use! A long, long time ago (Read: last year when I started doing this) I tried to use CANNED FROSTING (oh, Cake Gods, please forgive me!) for my first FBCT. First of all: yuck. Second of all: Huge, sticky, cold, gummy mess thatglommed on to the wax paper like nobody's business. After that, I've considered the other ones I've done not too bad!

Elvis is great!! I'm going to try this for sure. I have a cake to do for next weekend and the boy wanted Transformers. I bought a transfer. I should have tried ftbc. Next time.

That should have been FBCT. I'm a tad dyslexic. Now you can see why I couldn't guess what the initals meant.

Terrific job on your Elvis! Can't wait to see the final version!

S.