We have three birthdays in the family this month. All three are being celebrated together in an adult only party. I am responsible for making the cake. Here are the details:

-Two tier square off-centered
-Iced in white buttercream with black scrollwork on the sides
-Red ribbon
-Fresh roses or strawberries (To be determined)

Here are my questions:

If the cake is due July 17th, can I make the scrolls from Royal Icing before-hand, and place them on a buttercream covered cake later?

Also, if I use this method should I place the RI scrolls on once the buttercream is crusted, or before that?

Has anyone had problems with the RI decorations bleeding into the buttercream?

Thank you so much!

You could do that, but scrollwork is pretty easy to pipe directly on the cake, so that might actually be easier, depending on the type of scrolls you are doing. If you are making skinny ones, ie using a size 2 tip or so, it might be difficult to pick up the scrolls and glue them to the cake without breaking them.

You could put them on after it crusted, I'd either squirt fresh buttercream on the back and stick it on there, or brush the crusted surface where the scroll is going to stick with some water and then stick the scroll on.

I don't see it being a problem with running or bleeding unless you put it in the fridge. Then the condensation will make it run, melt, or bleed.

HTH

seriously, I think doing the scrollwork in buttercream directly on the cake would be MUCH easier than piping and placing with RI>
Practice on a board to get the look toy want. scrollwork is generally pretty forgiving especially if it is smaller scrolls with lots of "doodads"

A tiny bit of water brushed on with a paintbrush just to make it slightly damp is different from condensation all over the cake.

I'm not talking about slopping water on there......of course the simplest course would be to pipe them directly on the cake. And if using a dark color that might bleed, then it's not the best choice, I agree. I did it once with RI coral and it didn't bleed....but I didn't use more than a tiny dab of water, either, and it wasn't over the entire length of the piece.

I still say just pipe it right on there.

edited to add: I didn't dampen the RI pieces...I barely brushed the crusted buttercream, just to slightly "sticky" it up, then stuck the piece on there.

Thanks for your thoughts! I am attaching a picture of what the scrollwork is to look like. It is going to be on all sides of the squares.

Print out your pic and glue it a heavy piece of card board or plastic, something that won't bend, pipe your lines directly on the paper in royal, let dry then use the whole thing as an imprint mat. It'll leave the imprint of the scrolls and then all you have to do is go over then with either black buttercream or royal icing, whichever you are using. Btw, you may have to reverse the scrolls on the paper so they aren't mirror image unless that's not a problem.

Thank you for the imprint idea! That is ingenius! I believe that is what I will do. I was worried about piping black BC or RI directly on the white cake, because it doesn't leave room for error. This way will work perfectly!

the imprint is such a great idea! so inspiring!