I Am Afraid Of This Wedding Cake...!

Decorating By springlakecake Updated 24 Oct 2010 , 7:18am by indydebi

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springlakecake Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 12:04pm
post #1 of 33

I guess I am needing some advice, encouragement, a pep talk...I don't know. I took this cake order and it contains many things that are out of my comfort zone.

1. It is a 4 tier cake. I have done 4 tier cakes in fondant. Once I delivered it stacked and it was pretty heavy so the next time I assembled on site, which went well. This time it is buttercream. I am afraid to assemble this on site because I prefer to have the cakes really cold when I stack them. What do you suggest?

2. Black scrolls! Yikes I hate piping on cakes especially with black. The cake will be iced in smbc and i was going to use traditional buttercream for the black....this wont be a problem will it? The color wont leak out or anything?

3. Black satin ribbon on buttercream...I guess I will pre-grease the ribbon? Apply while the cake is cold? I have actually never put a satin ribbon on a buttercream cake.

32 replies
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sweetnessx3 Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 12:13pm
post #2 of 33

Id add some black royal icing to that black bc icon_sad.gif I did one and it turned pink around the black . Although it was 90% humidity down here in GA .

The ribbon , youll be fine icon_smile.gif

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daltonam Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 12:35pm
post #3 of 33

YEP, I know black fondant on regular BC turns pink on the edges too. That just happened to me this past weekend.

When I used a real ribbon it turned the ribbon greasy looking & horrible (BUT, it was light pink satin), so I had to recut, put a narrow strip of wax paper on the cake, then the ribbon, use just enough BC the attach the 2 ends & I covered that spot with a decoration of some sort. (can't remember what I used). You are using SMBC & black ribbon, so the greasy ribbon look may not even happen, but if you see it is, can't you just wrap the ribbon without greasing it, then attach the ends?

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Chasey Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 12:44pm
post #4 of 33

You can use Glad Press and Seal on the back of your black ribbon and not worry about pre-greasing it or having the buttercream grease soak through.

Will black RI bleed on buttercream? If straight royal doesn't bleed on the SMBC, I'd just go with that!

Good luck with your order, you'll be fine!! icon_smile.gif

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springlakecake Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 2:09pm
post #5 of 33

Oh, I hadn't really thought about RI on buttercream. Do you think that would be better than black buttercream? I don't think I have ever piped royal icing onto buttercream before (have put DRIED decorations on bc).

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KSMill Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 2:34pm
post #6 of 33

I have a cake in my photos that is all buttercream with RI black scroll work. I stacked this on-site (outdoor, mid summer wedding) and it did well with the heat and humidity. I do use the powder colors though.....no gel.

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CakesbyCarla Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 2:38pm
post #7 of 33

Yes, you can pipe RI onto BC. I find it easier to work with. It's not as heavy, for one. It dries fine and it has a "cleaner" look to it (smoother and you can get a finer detail to your piping). Plus, it dries so much quicker, I'd bet you wouldn't get the bleeding you might from BC.

I'd suggest you do some experimenting in the ol' lab before starting this one...

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newmansmom2004 Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 2:50pm
post #8 of 33

Can you pipe your black scrolls in RI onto waxed paper and let them dry, then just pop them on the cake on site? If the cake is round this might not work since the scrolls would be flat on the back, but if it's a square cake it could be an option.

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jenmat Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 2:53pm
post #9 of 33

when I do black scrollwork, I pipe the morning of the wedding. The longer the black sits, the more chance of bleeding. I use just plain old buttercream and have not had any problems.

Stacking- when I didn't have my CakeSafes, I would delivery separately too. Ice the buttercream cake to a board, take a long spatula, and remove cake (it should stay firm enough even through a car ride). Put cake on top, pipe around the seam and then add the ribbon.

As far as greasy ribbon- if it were a pale color, then yes, use waxed paper etc. Its black. Its not like it will show much grease. When placed, just press the ribbon to the cake to make sure it is evenly 'greasy' and you should be fine.

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KSMill Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 2:55pm
post #10 of 33

You could use Sugar Veil to pipe onto waxed paper, then place them on the cake. I wouldn't do it on site though since it could take quite awhile. But you can make them a couple of days ahead of time and then they're dry enough yet flexible so you can handle them to put them on the cake.

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springlakecake Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 3:40pm
post #11 of 33

It will be a round cake. I never really got the hang of sugarveil, doesnt it get kind of fragile after it dries completely? I still have some mix, I guess I could try it again. Thanks for all the advice!

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aswartzw Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 4:03pm
post #12 of 33

If you end up using RI on your BC, I'd love to see it. That would be amazing. I'm scared of doing piping on the sides of any cake in any color. But you do lovely work. I'm sure you can do it.

Also, for the ribbon, that's so easy. Just line it with waxed paper and double stick tape, cut to size and use a smidge of BC to attach the 2 ends together in the back.

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KoryAK Posted 7 Oct 2010 , 5:09pm
post #13 of 33

I've used both black ABC and black RI on SMBC, and it has worked out great. Where are you located? Humudity might change the results.... For the ribbon, I just spray it with Pam and put it right on the chilled cake. Super easy.

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cai0311 Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 2:05am
post #14 of 33

I deliver cakes in the trunk of my tiny car. I can only fit a 3 tier cake and, of course, almost all my wedding cakes are 4 tiers. I stack the bottom 3 tiers like normal and dowel them all together. Then when I get to the venue all I have to do is plop the top tier (usually 6") on the cake. Then I wrap with ribbon or pipe a border and am out of there in no time at all.

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sweetnessx3 Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 3:14am
post #15 of 33

My wedding cake in my pictures are ri on bc , this is the cake that bleed on me 2 times . I did it first in bc and it turned pink in a few hours then on a thread in here I had Dear CCers helping me ... I redid it in Ri and it just started to bleed as I was stacking it at the venue ....what a nightmare , this wasnt the design that it was supposed to be, I didnt have time to do the damask over again . The humidity was my enemy that day !

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leah_s Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 3:24am
post #16 of 33

And of course let me suggest SPS for your support system. icon_smile.gif

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leah_s Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 3:26am
post #17 of 33

And of course let me suggest SPS for your support system. icon_smile.gif

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EvMarie Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 3:34am
post #18 of 33

Just a thought....are there cutters out there large enough for scroll work on a cake? I have some Lindy Smith cutters that are small & work great for the cookies I make.

I was just thinking, maybe cutting black fondant scrolls may cut down on the chance of bleeding? It's fondant...

Not sure if this is a valid point. I'm a new-ish caker. icon_smile.gif

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Sassy74 Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 2:11pm
post #19 of 33

I recently conducted this EXACT experiment lol !

I had to do black piping onto white BC, so I set up a test. I spread some BC onto a plate and let it crust for about an hour. Then I piped some black RI onto it. Let it set up. BY the way, I use Sugarshack's BC recipe and meringue powder RI

Then, I spread more BC onto another plate, and let it crust over night. Then piped my BC onto it.

The one that set up over night DID NOT bleed. The one that crusted only for an hour or so DID bleed. So, I iced my cake and allowed it to sit over night. The RI didn't bleed, and it looked beautiful. HTH!

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springlakecake Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 8:47pm
post #20 of 33

Thanks everyone! I hadn't been notified of more replies! I think I may have to experiement too. I was thinking if I used american buttercream that I would start with chocoalte icing so that I wouldnt have to add so much black. Maybe it would reduce any bleeding. But I hadnt thought about royal icing until it was brought up yesterday.

I once did a bc cake with black fondant dots and it started to bleed, but humidity was pretty bad that day. I am in Michigan, so I don't suspect I will have humidity problems.

BTW, I would love to try the sps, but I just don't have luck always having my cakes be 4 inches high. So I don't know if that would work for me??

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tonedna Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 8:54pm
post #21 of 33

Chefmasters black doesnt bleed. The company assure this and I use it all the time with no problems.
Black buttercream on white buttercream, ribbon
http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=560&linkpath=http://www.designmeacake.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/cakes/.pond/blackvines.JPG.w560h648.jpg&target=tlx_picpwrn
Edna icon_smile.gif

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springlakecake Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 9:00pm
post #22 of 33

so beautiful edna! Maybe I'll have to look into chefmasters. I have only bought their candy color before.

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tonedna Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 9:24pm
post #23 of 33

I went to a baking fair years ago and I asked them how to deal with bleeding and he said that their colors dont bleed.. And honestly, I never had a problem
with their colors.

Edna icon_smile.gif

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springlakecake Posted 8 Oct 2010 , 10:03pm
post #24 of 33

do you use powdered or gel?

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tonedna Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 12:05am
post #25 of 33
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springlakecake Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 12:20pm
post #26 of 33

thanks icon_smile.gif

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cakeandpartygirl Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 12:42pm
post #27 of 33

great info Edna!!!!!!!

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springlakecake Posted 22 Oct 2010 , 9:24pm
post #28 of 33

okay the cake is due tomorrow! I did a trial last night of black RI and black buttercream. I think either would work. I liked how the royal piped out nicer, but it is staining the bc underneath pink. I also didn't like how when I cut the cake is came off in pieces and broke.

I put some cocoa powder in teh black buttercream so I wouldnt have to use so much black color. It is staining a lot less than the royal. I don't see pink around either types of piping though, just underneath.

I am thinking I'll go with buttercream.

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daltonam Posted 23 Oct 2010 , 1:36pm
post #29 of 33

can't wait to see the pic!

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tonedna Posted 23 Oct 2010 , 4:04pm
post #30 of 33

The royal icing might stain more because it tends to melt at the base where it touches the buttercream.
Edna icon_smile.gif

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