I did my first FBCT and boy was it fun. The only problem I had was once I filled everyting in, I didn't quite get it smooth, as you can see. I got the directions from CC and did exactly what it said but I really want to be able to correct this problem before I do another one. Any suggestions ladies?

Thanks.

It looks really good! I did on Dora FBCT and it wasn't really smooth. It still had the lines somewhat on it. The only thing I could think of was I didn't "squish" the frosting hard enough. I don't too it too hard because I'm afraid I'll pull the frosting back up with my spatula. I still think the lines on transfer are better than filling in with stars though. IMHO. I think this way still looks great though.

it looks great, the only thing I could say to help you is something someone else told me here on CC: thin your icing a little more. The first time I did one fbct it wasn't some enough, and the next one I tried that tip and it worked great. hope it helped

Lorris

Lorris
Do you thin the icing you are putting on the wax paper or the icing you cover the back of your transfer with? My first one had some lines also.

I don't thin the one for the outline, I thin the one I fill the pattern with. like this it blends better, and the outline doesn't blend in. hih!

Lorris

The only thing I see is it looks like your wax paper was wrinkled a bit. It looks great! I tape my wax paper to the board to make sure it does not move. You can also take a brush and smooth some of the lines. Then use the viva towel (or wax paper as I prefer) to totally smooth the transfer after it finishes perspiring and crusts up (before you put any border on around it). That's what I do with mine and they have all turned out really nice. I've gotten totally addicted to that technique since I first learned out to do it.

Can you use crusting buttercream? The ones I tried also didn't work out. They fell apart when I lifted them from the paper. I am going to try another one. Practice makes perfect.

You lifted them from the paper? Maybe I'm reading that wrong, but, I place the transfer on the cake then gently peel the paper back. They would never stand up to being held I wouldn't think. I do use crusting buttercream for my transfers. On the second page in my photos is a pokemon cake that had one large transfer on the top and a bunch of smaller ones on the sides. that was the most complicated one I've ever done (or ever will do). And those are the closest I've come to "lifting" a transfer, but I still mainly placed it on the side of the already frosted cake and then waited till it condensated enough to "stick" and then applied the next one, and so on.

How thick should my fbct be yours look almost paper thin.

I actually use a medium thin consistency. It's not thin, but it's not medium either. I use painter quality brushes (that I have in my cake tool caddy so they are only used on frosting) to smooth the edges together and even out any irregularities. Then wait till it all crusts over to smooth it totally before doing any borders. It takes time, but it's not to hard. I have four children ranging in age from 3 1/2 to 13, so I only really get time to decorate after 9pm. I'm supposed to be baking some cakes right now so I can work on those tomorrow and Sunday. BUt probably won't get started till after I pick up my oldest from her spring school dance at 9:15 tonight......

OK, took me awhile to find a photo of the pokemon cake cut and I had to edit out the kids and all, but this will give you a better idea of just how much frosting really was on the cake. I frosted it before adding the transfer of course, and the transfers were pretty thick too. This makes for a much more stable image in my opinion (but is also a LOT more sugar on the cake).

SheilaF thanks for the information. Would you say fbct is 1/8" thick? I think I will try again with extra frosting I have. Thanks for all your help.

Mine are probably closer to 1/4 inch thick. And I pat them down before I freeze them to make sure there's no bubbles or spaces in the layers of colors. Just don't smooth back and forth as this can smear the colors. GL!

SheilaF, I really love your transfers! I think the way you integrate them into the cake icing looks really nice! So, you just kind of press them into the icing that is already there? I am imaging putting them down on the cake and having them stick up a bit. When you do the Viva towel, they don't get distorted?

Actually, the entire background is part of the transfer too. I take the cake pan and make an outline on a cake board around the pan. Then place the desing in the middle (or slightly off to the side depending on where I'm going to be doing my writing) Then do the transfer. Then fill in around and behind it until the entire background is also a transfer. I'm going to be doing this for a book cake on Sunday so I'll try to take photos as I go and post those some time this next week.

The other way I've done the FBCT is really thin, without any background but then I build up on it to give it more of a 3D effect on the cake. If you look at the baby carriage cake, that was done using this method. After doing the basic design, I used the same frosting to add to it to give it the dimention I wanted. The wheels turned out really well and I was really afraid those would break. I also use a brush a lot when doing transfers to blend the layers of frosting together. Especially w/this second method. Back in my pre-kids life, I used to paint on canvas so I guess I'm just more comfortable doing it in this manner. I soak all my brushes and actually replace them when they get worn (which they can do when you soak them in vinegar).

The Lucy softball cake was also done using the second technique mentioned. I just neglected to put the writing on the cake prior to taking the photo.

I make my FBCT pretty thick, too. I think it makes them stand out. See how Max almost looks like he's popping from the cake?



(His pocket and cookie were added on top of the FBCT, so they look really 3D).

But if I didn't want them to stand out, I absolutely LOVE SheilaF's suggestion of making the FBCT as big as the top of the cake. What a great idea! Never would have thought of it.

I keep my tip close to the surface when I fill in and I work my FBCTs on a piece of glass, so I can always see underneath if there are any places I need to smooth out.

Oh - I get it! That is a great idea - to do a transfer of the whole top of the cake! I love it!!

So, exactly what kind of brushes do you use? I would like to get some that are food safe, but I am not sure what to buy.

When you say you use a brush to smooth the colors, do you mean after you have transferred the design to the cake?

Thanks!

mbask, great cake! Love the 3D effect of the bunny.

Yes, after I transfer the image onto the cake. There is a lot of condensation as the transfer returns to room temp. During that time, I will smooth out any holes or creases between the rows of frosting when you have larger areas that you pipe in on the image. Because my frosting is relatively thick, I get a lot of lines from the rows. So I'll blend those, and then press them flat after it crusts over so there's no evidence that they were ever there.

Here's is a close up of one of the cakes I did this on where I did not get all the creases out of the background. You can see it above and below the name Kaitlin. I get the plastic handle brushes at Michaels. They come in a large pk and the bristles do not come off the brush easily (more plastic than hair) so they clean up really well and as far as I know, they are food safe since they've never been used on anything but food.

SheilaF, Thanks! I am going to try all this out! I will let you know how it goes!!

SheilaF, How long can you keep these in the freezer? I would like to do one for my daughter's baby shower next Sunday. Can I do it now and keep it in the freezer until Saturday and assemble the cake then? Also do you put any frosting on top of the cake before you lay the transfer on? Here's another silly question for you. How do you get the transfer on to the top of the cake and the paper off without it breaking?

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all these questions we all have. I wish you lived close so I could take a class from you.

jessireb, I've kept them in the freezer for up to 3 days. I don't usually do things much more in advance than that, but if you have a good freezer (that does not get opened several times/day) I don't see why they wouldn't keep for longer. I do frost the entire cake before I apply the transfer. I usually make the top a lot thinner than the sides though as I know there'll be a lot of frosting from the transfer alone. As for putting them on the cake, because they are usually about a 1/4 inch thick, and not a lot of small areas that can break off (since I do the entire top and not just the image as a general rule) I've never had any trouble just placing them on there. I put my hand on top of the image (over the wax paper) and flip it over onto my hand, then gently flip it back over onto the cake. Then peel the paper off after it's positioned on the cake (which sometimes requires scooching it a bit depending on how well I centered it). I'm doing two book cakes tomorrow for Monday, so I'll try and have my older dtr take photos as I put the image on the cake, etc. The only transfer that I've ever done that cracked was the baby carriage, and that was because I made it without any background (just the image) because of the way I wanted to build it up.

On a side note. My daughters softball team is having a team party on Wednesday and one of the other moms says she needs a definite date because she wanted to order the cake. I told her I was planning to make the team cake so there was no need to order it from a bakery. SHe says she wanted to get the ball cake and have all the girls names on it. OK, I can do that. She's still very hesitant to let me do this. Most of the people there who really know me were not there at this time and I told her "Well, I did do my brother's wedding cake, so I really do know how to do a cake, and I could save the team a lot of money by making it for you" to which one of the dads off to the side replies "you made a wedding cake? I think she's got the job". I can't believe I actually argued w/her to be able to make the team cake! LOL.

I will be working on the transfer maybe tomorrow with it being Mother's Day and all. I have some to put in with my Mom. I will be spending the day with my two daughters and my mother shopping for the shower! Hopefully we can get in to eat at a restaurant that won't be too busy. Have a happy mother's day and I will let you know how my cake turns out.

you guys really make me want to try this!
Those are some great cakes!

jessireb, here are some step by step of putting the transfer on the cake from this weekend. I actually didn't do this as an entire layer as I wanted the 3D effect of the character jumping out of the page (last minute decision, but I'm definitely happier w/it). So I hope this helps. From depth of transfer to finished cake.

I made two of those BTW for my girls last day of religious education classes tonight. They are almost exactly the same.

I did one for the whole sheetcake last night. I cannot put it on the cake until Saturday. I have really wrapped it in plastic wrap and hope that it will stay until then. I will let you know how it comes out. I hope I didn't make it too thick. I think the first time I tried it it was too thin and that is why it broke apart. Thanks for the pictures it does help me visualize it better. Pictures paints a 1000 words.

Personally, I'd go with thicker anyday. Most ppl don't complain about a little more frosting. But fixing the image when it breaks from being to thin can be a lot of work. Can't wait to see how yours came out!

I have made an fbct that was the entire top of the cake. I didn't have to worry about it breaking or anything. It did great....the only problem I had was I measured wrong.

I put the fbct on top of a 6" cake; and I drew a 6" circle around my fbct....so...I didn't allow for the cake shrinkage where it bakes away from the pan.

mmdd, I've done that too. But I was able to remove the extra amount once it thawed w/out affecting the cake adversly. Keeps you on your toes huh?