Hi! I could really use some help - I'm making a Detroit Red Wings cake, and would like to try the frozen buttercream transfer method. I've never tried this before, and I only found one tutorial on here that helped at all. If you have tried this before and have any advice, I would really, really appreciate it. By the way, I live in a small town, and therefore only have access to Wilton and homemade products.

Thanks!!!

This is seriously one of the easiest decoration techniques out there. Make sure the image you are tracing over is a mirror image. I do mine on a metal cookie sheet. I have the picture with the acetate (you can buy overhead projector sheets for this, or parchment paper works, too) taped down to the cookie sheet. Then I can just pop the whole cookie sheet into the freezer. I do the outline and then pop into the freezer for about 5-10 minutes. Then I do one color at a time, freezing for a few minutes in between. If you want the image flush with the top of the cake, when you do the background coat, also fill in around the image to the size of the top of your cake with the background icing. Good Luck!

My only advice is to make sure your frosting is a crusting BC. I tried it once with a noncrusting and I couldn't get the image off the wax paper.

Like Pterrell said, it's very easy, and it's exciting the first time you do it right and get it on the cake!

Oh! The other thing I would say is when you are applying it to the cake, work quickly because if you let it melt too much it can stick to the wax or parchment paper too.

Really? I use IMBC and have never had a problem getting the image off of the paper. Maybe because I use parchment or acetate?

I bought an acrylic board at my local hardware store, taped the picture down and then taped the wax paper on top of that. That way, I can look on the other side of the board to make sure all areas are covered, and see how it is looking in the process.

When I first started doing these, I would put my bct on the cake and try and blend the edges into the cake...although it's time consuming:



Then I started to just put a border around it and it saves so much time:

Jeez! Sorry those are so huge!

How do you get it so smooth without pipe lines? I tried it once and it was a disaster, had to end up hand piping right on cake (see horse cake in photos).

I would love to get the technique down for future use.

Do you mean the outline or the filling in? For the outline, it really just takes a steady hand and good consistenc of BC. For the filling in, one you've piped it in, take a small off-set spatula and smooth it.

Thanks for all of your advice, everyone. I finished the cake and learned a couple of lessons along the way. I decided to go ahead and use the crusting buttercream, and it turned out really well. I still need to work on getting it nice and smooth, but I was fairly pleased with my first attempt. I tried to post an attachment, but wasn't able to. I added it to my photos though, so if you are interested please take a look at my profile.

Thanks again for the great advice everyone - it was very much appreciated.

Wow! I hope my first FBCT goes that well!