Do you think a template was used for the piping on the white tiers of this cake? I have a bride wanting this pattern (which she called really simple, LOL) on every other tier of her cake. It looks like some type of template was used since the pattern seems to repeat and match. Does anyone know where I can find out or get the pattern for it? Thanks!
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/50-great-cakes

Not sure, but if you get stuck.....
Google tiara templates (I know, you're not looking for a tiara, but you'll see what I mean). I did this, and came up with some that I printed out, and tweaked here and there to make a pattern similar to that. Looked at it while I was piping and freehanded it from there onto the BC.

Here's a blow up, black and whited...you can resize and make a pin prick...one more coming.

I woud imagine that she used a template. If you're not confident in your free handing abilities, you can draw it on wax paper, turn it over and scribe (punch little holes) on to your fondant, then trace the lines with your icing. Be sure not to make your holes too big, you'll want to cover them with the icing lines and they look pretty delicate.

There are several tierra designs on this website in the galleries. If you look in the Misc. gallery you'll find a few.

here's another, as bright as I could get it for definition. You can tweak it in Picnik even further. Trace onto clear overhead projector paper, and shine the image on your cake, freehand it. Sorry, if you don't want these pics...but I was bored.

It's a stencil.

http://www.designerstencils.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DS&Product_Code=C414&Category_Code=CSIDES

They have sets of cake stencils with the damask and fancy scroll designs. I've seen them in my cake supply store; check online stores like GSA and Countrykitchensweetart. I'm sure others will know exactly where to direct you.

Awwww....hey, lookie there! Coolness. That really looked like something custom...neat stencil though!

Definitely hand piped and inspired by those stencils. It's close but different.

Yes indeed it is a stencil. If you don't care if you have the food grade stencil, go to their WOW bargain stencils and you can get the set for alot cheaper. I think it is on page 9. www.wowbargainstencils.com

Yup, just checked and it is page 9 of designer seconds Princess Lace Set.

Thanks Jamie! It will be chocolate brown piped on ivory, so I was hoping to not have to pie it since there isn't much room for mistakes! Now to decide how much more to charge her for it! It'll only be on every other tier, and the others will be quilted fondant with a sugar bead at the intersections.

go to www.wowbargainstencils.com/designerseconds and scroll to the bottom of the first page and there it has the rest listed.[/i]

http://weddingcakesbyjimsmeal.com/pic4b.jpg

That cake is not stenciled. If you look closely they are similar, but not the same. Plus it looks different than a stenciled cake looks. If you really look at the piping you can see where it differs from section to section. That wouldn't happen with a stencil.

Either the stencil is modeled after the cake or Jim Smeal used the stencil as inspiration.

Yup I said it on the first page... it's not stenciled it's hand piped.. close but not exact.

Yeah... I just saw that. Glad I'm not the only one who think so... LOL.

That being said... I'd totally use the stencils. WAY easier. I would charge heavily for that much hand piping if you go that route.

It looks like the decorator placed the stencils on the cake, used a pin to transfer the pattern, then piped over it. Yeah?

No I don't think they actually used the stencil because the design is notably different in places, fewer swirls shorter..etc. Look closely at the stencils and the cake side by side and compare.

I'm with sadsmile... the patterns are completely different in many ways, but very similar so thatif you were to use the stencil... it would look like the same cake from a distance and the bride would NEVER know.

I don't know if it's Jim Smeal himself, but someone on his team is one hell of a piper. There are many piped cakes on his site that are very intricate. I is jealous...

Beautiful piping!

oh look they did a lavender and white one just like it. The tiara design is even simpler.

http://weddingcakesbyjimsmeal.com/pic4c.jpg

This is just like when I was looking for info on this cake: http://media.photobucket.com/image/truli%20confectionary/NviousEvents/1cake.jpg

Everyone swore up and down it was stenciled. Nope. Not stenciled. Cut and pieced together by hand. I don't remember if the creator of this cake copied the design from the stencil set, or vice versa....but either way, I knew there was no way it could have been stenciled. It's just too perfect!

Yup just call us the C Double D's...








































Cake Design Detectives

Could this design possibly be made by putting the design down on a template with royal icing - then let it dry, and gently put that against the cake - it would leave the impression of what you want, then you could pipe over the impression? (the royal would be dry and hard enough to leave an impression to pipe over??)

LOL..."simple" design...gotta love it! And I think putting the stencil up, using the pinprick method and pipe over that would help tons to make this handpiping more "simple" to achieve.

LOL..."simple"...LOL gonna be laughing over that one all day...