So, I have a bride that wants a cameo type impression on her cake.  Note the cake is being frosted in buttercream, not fondant.

This is the cake:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143270831874149143/

Instead of the flower medallion on the top tier.  I took the cameo and made a mold of it from a food safe mold puddy.  I tried to pour in royal icing, but it doesn't come out clean.  It seems to have had air pockets or something.  I made sure my royal icing was air bubble free.  Maybe not thin enough?  I made it from white chocolate, and this was great, but white chocolate isn't actually white, it's off white, so it won't be white like the scallops around it, therefore it won't match.  Any other ideas?  

Another question...does anyone have a trick to getting dot scallops to be even?  I'm terrible at doing them free hand.  Is there a way to make it easier? 

Thanks!

Christina

i use butter & vanilla in my buttercream so the white chocolate doesn't matchy match that either but it all works out -- i don't bother about that unless i have a bride that wants everything stark white which isn't very often -- but i would mention it to her at the consult -- explain it's all harmonious all in the neighborhood but not all the exact same --- also i use cameo chocolate molds for this -- works great for me -- you're really industrious to make a mold -- oh was it the bride's cameo you are copying? anyway --

the scallops -- just practice -- do like 5 repetitions/scallops twice or three times a day -- get and keep all your stuff at the ready and just pick up your bag and do it over and over -- your goal is to develop a rhythm -- by counting or singing to yourself probably not out loud -- you'll be an expert in a matter of days -- i would first work on making the same size dots until i got that down --then if you are using graduated sizes work on that when you've got that down -- then practice putting them into the scallop shapes --

another idea is to divide everything by two and fill it in -- so pipe the first dot in the middle of the scallop (at the lowest point) then in the middle of each of those sections put your next dots dividing them in half -- you have four sections now -- put a dot in the middle of those then fill in the rest --

you got this

I use a ruler and a pin before the icing.  Like k8 said, mark your middle and then start measuring out the dots on each side of the middle. Easier for me to keep it even. Its also easier for me to fix a pin hole that isnt right than to remove icing. So I find my middle and then I can move my ruler up slightly and mark the next two holes/dots in a level line. 

yes what 640cake said -- and if you use buttercream that's likely what i would use too -- so you will have tails right on the dots so either pat your finger into cornstarch and pat the tails down or you can use a wet/moistened brush with water to round out your dots --

but if you want a real thrill:

another idea -- if you have time to practice or at least stick it in the file cabinet to use sometime especially if you have a ton of dots and this project would qualify for me -- make some royal icing and remove a cup to it's own bowl  -- get that the right consistency by adding water -- then drop a dot of it back into the bowl from the tip of the spoon and count how long it takes for it to dissolve back into the bowl leaving no trace -- i think it's like count of ten, maybe 5 can't remember a few seconds or so -- then load your bag and pipe dots on the side of the cake and watch the tails disappear back into itself automatically -- moment of silence --

if it's too soft add a little more icing if it doesn't work add a few drops more water till you get it just right  -- i love doing this -- if you add some gum arabic to the icing the dots will shine too -- so with one effortless squeeze of the piping bag you get a perfectly round dot shimmering like a perfect little pearl -- bam 

*make a tiny amount of brown royal icing and add a dot of that to make your quantity an off white 

** if you ever do the royal icing thing put on some great music for some ambiance 

Thanks for the advice.  Using pins and a ruler to mark out the dots is a great idea.  And of course practice a lot!

K8 I love the idea of doing the dots in royal icing.  Thanks!

Hi, you can buy Wilton or Merckens candy melts, the super white ones and melt just a few in the microwave, at reduced heat and in bursts of 10 seconds, stirring with a wooden skewer in between. They will set nicely into your cameo mould and be white. They do not need tempering as they are not real chocolate. They will match your buttercream. An alternative solution would be to make the cameo in a contrasting colour, e.g. a black or mahogany frame with a black figure in the middle. You can use any colour chocolate and paint it with food colours/dusts. Hope this helps.