Okay, I'm having a total brain lapse and cannot find the words to describe what I want to ask, so a picture says a thousand words, right? Anyway, when icing a cake in buttercream, and the design requires the base icing to be two different colors that are going to be next to each other without a big separating border, how do you do it so cleanly as to not have one color blending over into the other? For example, in this pic from arosstx's photos, how did she apply the orange icing and then the white icing with just that small dot border in between, and it came out so perfectly and clean? Do you use a special tool or do you pipe it on somehow? Sorry if this is confusing or a stupid "duh" question! It's one of those days!!!

I'd also love to see the answer to this.

Hi,
I know when I've done two colors on buttercream frosted cakes, I use the big icer tip with one color, starting on the bottom and going all the way around the cake. Then do the second color on the top, lining the tip right up next to the bottom color and going all the way around. Then I smooth it using the Viva paper towel and/or Melvira method and it worked out just fine. I haven't yet done one with the piped border to seperate the colors though. Take a peek in my gallery at some of the baby clothesline cakes where I did the two tone colors.
Hope that helps!
KimAZ

So when you use the icer tip, do you have to buy bigger bags than the normal decorating bags? It's a fairly large tip, right? I've never used it, but wonder if it would make icing my cakes go much faster and easier. Any opinions?

Yes, I use one of those really big bags. It's that canvas type, not sure on the size. It holds probably 2-3 cups of frosting. So yes, it's big and a bit awkward to hold at first but it makes frosting the cake a gazillion times easier. This way you can go all the way around the cake without stopping by piping with one hand and turning the turntable with the other.

KimAZ

You do need a bigger bag for the icer tip. I personally don't like it. It is a huge tip and it seem like it holds half of the icing in the tip. You can't push it out. It seems like you are constantly filling it with icing.

Hmm, I'll have to ponder this. I always just mound the icing on with my spatula and spread it from there. I've wondered about saving time by using the icer tip, though. Hmm...........

I love the icer tip and use a 16" bag for it. For larger cakes and 1/2 sheets, etc., you do have to fill it up more than once but I find it is more manageable than the really really large bags (I do use those to ice cupcakes though...).

But back to the 2 colors...so Kim, you just use the icer tip then go straight to Viva or Melvira's rollers and skip the spatula smoothing step?

That looks like all fondant to me...

this particular cake looks to be iced in orange buttercream and then the white appears to be fondant or folled buttercream layed on top -- if you look that the sides as the cake curves around to the sides & back, it looks as if the white part stands out a little bit from the orange.

Yeah, it looks like fondant but it is buttercream. If you go to arosstx's photos, she does most of her cakes in bc, but is an expert smoother so they look like fondant! Amazing, huh? She needs to post her smoothing secrets!!!

Maybe you should PM her. I can't believe it's BC but I checked her photos and it is!!

Ok, I may be reading this wrong, but I looked at Arosstx's photos and this was her discription "Devils' Food inside, MMF top, dots, & bow over buttercream." Now, doesn't MMF top, mean the white top part? It really looks like MMF to me. BUT, I'm no expert...I'd just PM her...

Shannon

There are two almost identical cakes in her photos. The first one, is on the first page. It's the one here. All you can see in the gallery is the bow. The other one I think is on page 4 and it is a fondant top. She says this one is all BC except the bow.

Is it possible that the orange part was airbrushed? To me it looks that way . If you cut a piece of paper as a stencil you can get very clean lines around a cake with an airbrush and use tiny borders like that to cover the join.

Now y'all have me curious on this technique!!

i love the icer tip. of course im an awful icer so any little thing helps but it really helps it go on much easier. can't hurt to try it! buy it at michaels with a coupon.

did you know that you can use airbrush like watercolor paint, and apply with a paintbrush? I have done this and it works great with buttercream, but you have to let it sit a bit after you ice it so you don't make a mess! using a soft brush helps. I have used a fan brush and made little swirl paintings, it looks really neat!!

I've done two-toned BC, here http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1178904
I hope this makes sense - I piped the line in the middle where I wanted the light blue, then applied the rest of the blue icing with an offset spatula (I hate that icer tip too ) Did the same with the green. the trick is applying it as smoothly as you can. After it crusted, I carefully smoothed with viva and piped the dark blue accent line at the seam.

I am so glad you aske this! I have been wondering myself! Heck I can't even ice the side one color and the top another without stressing over it and being VERY thankful that I am going to be putting a border around it LOL!!

I'll comment on the icer tip. Personally I love it. Yes you have to buy a bigger bag to hold more frosting, buy one with a coupon at Michael's to save $$. You'll have to cut some of the end off to fit over the icer tip so trim carefully so you don't cut to much off. What I like is the fact that by frosting the cake this way, you get an even thickness of frosting all the way around the cake. I'm always afraid when putting frosting on the cake in 'globs' and then smooth it that I'll have some spots thicker than the other.

B2B