Hi all! I'm so happy to have this forum - my husband's not too happy about it 'cuz I spend every waking moment on it, but it really does make me happy! First time posting about my work...and I'm a little nervous!

Anyway, in all my time here I've read about so many awesome techniques and decided to try my hand at a chocolate transfer to make cub scout rank badges for the cake I'm making for my son's Blue and Gold Dinner this Friday. I really jumped in with both feet, as these were VERY intricate images and I made them actual size (pictured with quarter for reference).

I think they're pretty good for a first attempt, considering the size and detail of them. The wolf badge (red one) was first, and it got a bit smudged since I tried spreading the red background instead of piping it on...I learned my lesson on that one. And I realize that the edges are totally wonky..I'll figure out how to deal with those.

What do you all think? Will they suffice? They're only one part of a 12x18 cake that is to be an actual size Scout Shirt replica. Or should I remake? And if I should re-do, any tips to help it go more smoothly? My first instinct was to do over, but I do have other decorations to be working on, and these badges are pretty time-consuming...so I put it to my ever-so-trusted fellow cake (and cakecentral) addicts. Thank you!!

Hi NursingNellie, I think for the first time they are good. I can also see where there's room for improvement, but then everything you do will improve with time and practice. I did some chocolate transfers for a baby shower cake (see my pix) and I learned to do the detail stuff first, then work your way out. The yellow lines you have as outlines would be considered detail work. One tip about chocolate transfers, the more whimsical the picture the better it will look. If you have something with highly intricate details, you won't capture that with chocolate. It's just not the medium for it. Overall if you had fun with it then you did it right!!

They look really good. I haven't tried chocolate transfers yet but I would love to try it. I think on a large cake they will be fine. Focus on everything else that still needs to get done. I don't think you need to redo them but if you feel you do, then only do after everything else is done because the ones you have a cute.

Thanks for the replies! Yeah, I'm gonna keep them, at least for now. The cake is for Fri night, so I think I'm going to start fondant decorations tomorrow during the day, then bake either tomorrow night or early Thurs. Depending on how smoothly those go, I'll see if I have time to try these again, but I am not going to drive myself nuts over it. The more I look at them, the happier I am with them.

I can't wait to try choc transfer again, with a larger, much less detailed image. I think it's such a awesome addition to a cake, especially for kids - I agree that more whimsical designs are much better suited for the technique. But I think I got about as much detail as I could have asked for on mine, and for next time I will take a step backwards and simplify!

If you want more help, buy the Whimsical Bakehouse book and Sharon Zambito's Sheetcakes video. Both deal with choco transfers.