How Do I Transfer A Drawing Onto My Cake?
Decorating By Jackie Updated 8 Jun 2009 , 6:50pm by toyanjason
she was more happy to get to eat spiderman's head... seriously.. its the only part of the cake she ate.. was just the frosting of his head.. ^_^;; hahaha gotta love 3 year olds.. ^_^
at least the transfers came out good.. I couldnt decorate otherwise to save my life.. ^_^
ohh... and Walmart type fudge icing .. SUCKS.. I used it on the pony cake.. and parts of it came off.. >.< on spidey.. I just colored some of the buttercream black (by using green, then blue, and then black ) and it worked ALOT better for me... *nod nod*
I cannot BEGIN to express how happy I am to have found this. I'm pretty good at constructing things, but am a LOUSY drawer. I kept thinking, HOW am I going to do a face or a character when I can't draw and I just don't think the gel method is good for much other than placement.
WOW!!! I cannot WAIT to try this out. I'll look like I'm an artist!!! I'll start simple and build up for sure. The idea of making the template the same size as the cake surface is INGENIUS. You are all very creative and I thought I was! LOL
My main "worry" is how to draw with that thick black Wilson's tube. I just used that black to make the choo-choo train 3D cake (didn't want to mess with making my own black) and that stuff is THICK!!!!
Are there any tricks to tracing? If I were tracing with a pen/pencil, no problem, but trying to trace details while squeezing a tube is another thing.
I cannot WAIT to try it! Boy! My husband will be impressed if I get this to work! LOL
Melissa
For the outline, I just use the same buttercream that I make for the transfer and color it black. That way I can use a tip#2 to do the outline. It is easier for me than using a big tube of icing.
As far as tricks to tracing, I would just say to practice - it gets a little easier each time as you learn better control of your piping bag. Do some practice tracing on wax paper before you do the "real" thing so you'll be ready. It is actually really easy to do once you get the hang of it. THis is my favorite decorating trick!
Good luck! Please post a picture when you finish your first one.
I am making my very first FBCT for a cake this weekend! I need to make a Spongebob cake for my Godson Alex who's turning three. I made a practice one and I think I need to used a smaller tip to do the outlines I used a #3 to outline and #5's to fill...I want to buy a #1 or #2 and try it again....I don't have much time to practice though...YIKES!
I was noticing that too that thin lines are key. Of course, the thought of piping a thick buttercream through such a small tip makes my hand ache already. I need to build up some more arm strength. My hands have always been my weakest part, go figure I want to decorate cakes! LOL
Melissa
I was told dark colors are more likely to run. One thing I read (haven't tried this yet, just gathering info) is to dab off the condensation with a paper towel when it comes to room temperature.
Intuitively, I would guess that the slower you can return it to room temperature, the faster the water will evaporate, so if your cake can fit in the fridge, putting it in there to slowly come down to temperature, but I don't know if that would work.
Oh, another thing someone said is to have a fan blowing in the room to dry the top as it warms too. For instance, my kitchen has a ceiling fan (soon to be removed) and I plan to turn that on when the transfer is coming to room temperature (after I dust it as I haven't turned that on forever and I'm sure it's dusty and I don't want dust on my cake! LOL)
Melissa
I have trouble squeezing frosting through a small tip too, but it does not have to be very thick for the outline. I usually use a #2 or #3 to outline (more often a #2).
Yes, the black does bleed. Not so much with brown, but they can. I lay a papertowel gently over it about every 3-4 min until it stops condensating to absorb any extra (and prevent running). A clean papertowel each time. It usually only takes 10 min or so before it stops condensating so heavily.
Can the FBCT transfer be used on icings other than butter cream? For example on the seven minute frosting. Help please!
Just wondering I this would work with royal icing too?
Thanks
Michelle
Great job, Wendoger! Keep up the good work. The more you do them the easier they get (usually).
Thank you so much for providing these instructions. Do you prefer this method over colour flow or flood work?? I may also sound stupid, but why put it in the freezer - could you leave it out to dry? And does it need to go directly from the freezer onto the cake? Thank you so much.
"I" prefer the FBCT technique for a flat cake. I use the color flow or royal icing for stand up decorations personally. Yes, you do need to freeze it or it won't be solid enough to transfer onto your cake and it'll crack and/or get squished, not to mention stick to the paper with just letting it crust over. You just have to remember that the image will be reverse (mirror image) when you put it on, so if your image needs to face a particular direction, you need to have it printed the other way for making the image. And yes, it needs to go directly from the freezer onto the frosted cake.
Hi Cali4dawn,I love your transfer! I tried to make one last week, but after freezing it, I tried to flip it over the cake, but it broke into small pieces. I don't know what the problem was. How thick will your transfer be after it's finished? Do you freeze the design after outlining and before filling in? Why do you cover the transfer with the same color of icing you use on the cake? Thanks a lot for answering my questions. Can you please PM me.
I'm not Cali4dawn, but I make mine at "least" 1/4 inch thick. Sometimes closer to 1/2 an inch when it's a larger transfer. I just let mine crust over before filling in. It helps the image "blend" with the top of the cake better if you use the same frosting on the back of your transfer.
SheilaF, I already did a transfer yesterday, it came out fine. I did it with leftover frosting, and I didn't have the same color to put on the back of the trasfer, so I used pink instead. You can see it in my photos from my profile.
Thanks anyway for your help.
i know there have been a million questions in this thread but i have to put my 2 cents in. what is the easiest icing to use for the outline? Wilton's class buttercream or the tube stuff? Also after you have outlined, when you are filling in the colors, should you no longer see your outline? should it all be blended together in the back? last question, what is the consistency of the icing for the color fill in? medium or thin?? thsnks.
WOW! I just read through this whole thread! I can't believe this! I think all of my questions have been answered, which is awesome! I am definetly going to practice first before doing one! I think I am going to use this technique for a dartboard cake.
Thanks for all the wonderful questions to help us out! Great Thread! 
1. what is the easiest icing to use for the outline? Wilton's class buttercream or the tube stuff?
2. Also after you have outlined, when you are filling in the colors, should you no longer see your outline? 3. should it all be blended together in the back?
4. last question, what is the consistency of the icing for the color fill in? medium or thin?? thsnks.
1. I used some of wilton's tube stuff mixed with the homemade icing noted in the directions. (for my first fbct, it came out okay...was in a hurry to place it on cake and I messed up the outline)
2. The outline on the sides, you should still see until you put on that very last coat of icing. I covered the outlines within the picture with the colors. (ie. all pokemon's faces were covered with their skin color. I didn't cover Ash's eyes and mouth with his skin color - wanted to see what the difference would be)
3. I think it should all be blended in the back. (that's how mine worked)
4. can't help on that one (to new to know the difference in consistency)
I have a lot to correct on my first FBCT, but I tried it and now I know what to do and how to make those corrections.
here's a pic. http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=Tweetycup&cat=0&pos=0
It was a practice run for my son's b-day next month. The cake I used to set it on, was a disaster in itself, but it held the FBCT until I took my picture and we cut it.
HTH a little.
SORRY, HOW DO YOU DO THE DETAILS OF THE FACE?AT THE END OR YOU DO THE FACE AND PUT IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR AND PUT THE LAYER AFTER.
I MIST SOMETHING
THANK YOU
NATHALIE
No, no, definitely put the details of the face in at the beginning, no need to refrigerate before putting on the next layer.
see my previous post. I did the pokemon's faces and covered with whatever icing I was using for their bodies. I did not cover Ash's eyes or mouth with flesh colored icing. ( I wanted to see what the difference would be)
I was thinking about making a FBCT for a dartboard cake. But, I wanted to make darts out of gumpaste and dry them then stick them in the middle of the Bull's eye! Does anyone think it would ruin it??? Should I take a different approach???
I'd be afraid that the darts would be a little top-heavy and fall over. Maybe you could make the pointed end of the dart VERY long ... enough to penetrate the cake really deep to combat the heaviness of what sticks out. I'm not talking through experience, I've never done it. It's just what I imagine.
PS: I see you have a little subject line up there that says "sticking things into FBTC" But the thread you are on is "How do I transfer a drawing onto a cake." In the future, be sure to hit "NEW TOPIC" before posting a question to get the best response.
I am new to this technique and have a concern maybe you can answer for me before I begin. If you pipe on for instance the black for the face and the other colors for the minor details then you go and fill in the body color behind it, what keeps it from smudging the under colors or flattening them so they look thick and messy, or even what keeps them from just bleeding into your other colors?
I did a practic bct last night and some of the design stuck to the wax paper when I started peeling it off. I froze it overnight. I also used chocolate store bought frosting for the outlines. Can someone tell me what I did wrong? Thanks for any helpful advice.
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