Any ideas for coloring icing to take on the effect of looking like a bible page...sort of old or delicate. I'm using the book pan for a cake I'm doing for a baptism and I thought about misting the top of the white background with an edible spray, but then realized all of the colors are really bright. I'm using buttercream, not fondant. Any thoughts???

There is a neat trick for adding delicate texture to buttercream. Take a piece of waxed paper that is a bit larger than what you are wanting to texture, then scrunch it into a very tight ball. Squish it a lot. Now open it completely and smooth it on a flat surface. There will be tiny wrinkles in the paper. Gently press this onto the crusted buttercream, rub slightly to get an even look and then remove. If the icing isn't crusted then you might pull off some of the frosting. If only tiny amounts stick to the paper and leave peaks on the cake, use a Viva paper towel to "flatten" them.

I think this will give you the look that you want. You might want to try it on some frosting that is just on a cake board first.

Also, add a small amount of real vanilla to your frosting to give the paper an aged look.

HTH

Michele

p.s. This technique works well for making animal skin. Just don't crinkle the paper quite as much.

What a great idea!! Hope my my brain remembers it should the need arise.

thanks for the tip