Question About Royal Icing

Decorating By teddy0826 Updated 10 Jul 2010 , 12:49am by ameliasam

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teddy0826 Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 6:06am
post #1 of 9

I made a royal icing decal. Is it ok to put on top of my buttercream icing the night before or will it ruin it.

8 replies
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noahsmummy Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 7:36am
post #2 of 9

i have been told that b/c actually breaks down the royal. if thats incorrect please correct me. but to be on the safe side, i would def. wait until the last minuter incase this is right.

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teddy0826 Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 11:36am
post #3 of 9

yes, I thought the same thing. I took it off just in case. Thanks

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Sneezie Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 11:53am
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Yes it will break it down. When you attach it, if you can attach with melting chocolates

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LindaF144a Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 12:44pm
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I was just thinking of doing the same thing. I was going to make a cake for my new neighbors and use the decoration of the birds and birdhouse in Course II (old course). Wilton did a cake like this in the Cake Decorating book and it is placed flat on top of the cake.

Now I'm assuming they used their buttercream frosting that has shortening in it. Isn't that grease too? And wouldn't in break down over time being on there?

And how long does it take to break down?

And if I use SMBC, will it break down faster? Can I coat the back of it with white chocolate and then place it on the cake?

Thanks for bringing up this question.

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TexasSugar Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 2:53pm
post #6 of 9

Okay so yes it is stressed that you should not get grease in your royal when making it. Which is true, it will not mix up correctly.

As far as the shortening/crisco in icing and placing royal on it, well you can do it. Last year for the convention I did fondant covered cakes. Because I ended up using powder sugar to roll the fondant (made using crisco) out on I ended up rubbing down the cakes with crisco. So there was a layer of crisco on the cakes. I piped the royal directly on there, and guess what, it is still there, almost a year later. It didn't melt, it didn't disolve, nothing happened too it.

Now moisture and royal doesn't work well together. So if you put royal icing flowers on a cake then put it in a cake carrier, because it is closed up, the royal could absorb some of the moisture from the icing and soften.

If royal melted the instant it touched buttercream or even in a short period of time afterward why would we be using it on cakes? Does anyone have any pictures of royal placed on a cake that melted and/or disolved?

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BlakesCakes Posted 9 Jun 2010 , 8:54pm
post #7 of 9

Royal icing pieces placed directly on top of a crisco or butter based buttercream will, over time, absorb grease and, at a minimum, get greasy splotches visible on the top, and, at the worst, if thin, will soften and crack or break down. This reaction is worsened if it's hot and the buttercream softens in the heat. The oils are released faster and easier in the heat.

If possible, just put the item on at the last minute. For insurance, push a few mini marshmallows, sugar cubes, or fondant cubes most of the way into the buttercream under the item and pipe a dab of royal on top. Gently place the item on these "feet".

Spread some piping gel or melted chocolate over the back of the RI item and place on the cake. They are a great barriers to the buttercream.

Rae

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LindaF144a Posted 10 Jun 2010 , 12:33am
post #8 of 9

Thank you to both of you for your help.

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ameliasam Posted 10 Jul 2010 , 12:49am
post #9 of 9

I did a cake with BC icing and add RI flowers, frogs after. Then I took it to work the next day also had but in the fridge over night and the RI didn't broke down here the picture of the cake.
LL

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