Can anyone suggest a good way to attatch satin ribbon on to a wedding cake? I've heard that the best way is to use RI, but I don't like when you can see the wetness through the ribbon from the icing. I'm also wondering about the raw edge on the ribbon? Any suggestions on how to make it look a little cleaner??

I use a brown paper bag and wax paper and iron the wax onto the back side of the ribbon (or the side that will be touching the cake). This wax puts a foodsafe barrier between the ribbon and the buttercream and I get minimal, if any, bleed through. For attaching the ribbon, I use glue dots found at the hobby store. I over lap the ribbon slightly, figure where I need to cut to make an even, matching point, apply the glue dots and gently press. When they cut the cake, they can pull on the glue dot joint or use scissors to cut the ribbon away. HTH!

Not sure if I would use wax. What I would do is just fix the ribbon at the back of the cake with Royal Icing. It doesn't need to be firmly fixed since all it is there for is decoration until it's cut

Are you using a crusting BC? If so, allow the BC to crust before applying the ribbon. If there is no surface-moisture on the icing (i.e. "crusted") then there will be no moisture to soak into the ribbon.

I attached my ribbon in back with a blop of BC.

If not using crusting BC, then a trick I learnd here on CC (and I've used frequently) is to coat the entire ribbon with crisco ahead of time. This "soaks" the ribbon uniformly so there will be no spotting.

actually I'm using fondant not BC

But if I use BC to attatch it, then You'll be able to see the colour difference? Any ideas about how to make the ribbon with a nice clean cut at the back? the ribbon I'm using is like a solid band top and bottom of the ribbon and in between is like a sheering effect. I'm gonna have to be extremely careful. there's no room for error on this one! i like Skidoochic's idea of using the glue dots. Any ideas about this?

I read about someone attaching the ribbon with pearl topped corsage pins. (It may have been here on cc)
They said they just pinned the ribbon in the back with 2 pins, and then when it's time to serve the cake, you just remove the pins. I tried with my sons cake and it works.
HTH


You can see the pearl pin head hiding between the penguins
<http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1743834&sub=1743844>

I just use double sided tape to attache the ends at the back.

thanks Tokazodo! I was actually thinking that but thought that pins through a cake might be a bit weird!! I think that's the best option!!

I wouldn't stick metal pins directly into a cake ( there have been debates over doing this with wires). A dot of bc or royal icing or a small piece of double sided tape is fine. It's too small to notice.

I agree with McKaren. Don;t leave pins in a cake (or wires) would you want something that isn't sterile (wires) in your cake and would you want to take the risk of somone accidentally eating a pin. they are good to use if you need to just hold something in place for a few minutes but pins should always be glass headed

Here is a post that was similar to yours and judyj2 had a great suggestion for using freezer paper, it works wonderfully. Here is the link, HTH.
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-687322.html

I always dip my ribbon in water and then run it between my finger and thumb to get rid of the excess water, you just want it damp, then wrap it around the cake. The moisture makes it stick to the cake and once it dries there are no marks showing through the ribbon and the ends are neat. When it comes time to serve you can very easily peel it off.

wow Chukkles thats a great idea! I'm a little nervous though. The client has provided me with the ribbon with not much to spare. I'm afraid of ruining it?!

If you dont feel comfortable with securing it that way you could try it out on a different cake with a similar type of ribbon, otherwise use whatever you feel the most comfortable with, especially if it is for a client

You really should line the ribbon since the ribbon isn't food-safe. Either use the iron wax method as above or I always use double-sided tape to attach wax paper to the ribbon and trim to size. Really, it takes no time at all and makes it food-safe.

Use 1 dot of icing where the two ribbon ends meet at the back. It will hold it in place just fine but ditto the other posters, no metal pins.

I was actually wondering about the ribbon thing too. My thing is, I use a crusting buttercream and it is all shortening. Even when I let it crust, then apply the ribbon, I get grease that kind of soaks through the ribbon. Any suggestion? I can't really imagine making a backing for the ribbon. Usually, the bride will provide the ribbon so that it matches her wedding perfectly.

I have used piping gel to secure the ribbon to the cake. I just brushed it on the ribbon and stuck it to the cake. The ribbon didn't slip or discolor. I have used this method on both butter cream and fondant and it worked wonderfully.