Hand Painting A Cake?????

Decorating By daltonam Updated 12 Jun 2006 , 2:18am by daltonam

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daltonam Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 8:12pm
post #1 of 18

what do you use to paint onto a cake or candy?????????


i'm on a roll, i think this is my 3rd post today.....

17 replies
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daltonam Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 9:29pm
post #2 of 18

come on guys---help me out

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SLK Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 9:35pm
post #3 of 18

I've only recently started painting cakes - or decorations for cakes. I use luster dust and/or pettal dust. It's a powder you mix with alchol or lemon extract, mix it to your desired color and paint it on. You can't use water to mix the color as water will "melt" your icing - fondant or royal icing. Alchol or lemon extract (has lots of alch. in it) evaporates before it can melt the fondant.

I've hear of some people using gel colors (like wilton or americolor) but I have no idea how they are doing it.

The last cake I painted (dora cake) I used pearl luster dust and painted over the stars. it made them really shiny and sparkley.

That's my limited knowledge. Good luck!

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fmandds Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 9:41pm
post #4 of 18

I've painted with americolors that I diluted to watercolor constitency with vanilla extract. I've never directly painted onto a cake. I painted the eyes of Dora(FBCT) to get them that darker brown. I've painted on MMF strawberries that I made. I painted the red onto the sun of my golf cake. But never the base icing on a cake.

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fearlessbaker Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 9:45pm
post #5 of 18

These are the instructions from Mich Turner's book Spectacular Cakes. The cake she used has been covered in marzipan and fondant 2 days before it's painted. Trace your design on the cake. She used and orchid design in her book and a scribing tool to trace. The instructions suggest to work from the bottom up. Cocoa butter is melted in a saucer suspended over a heat-resistant bowl of of boiling water. You take various colors of edible color dusts and place them on the edge of a saucer and use a paintbrush to mix the cocoa butter with the dust to paint on the cake. The more cocoa butter used the more transparent the colors on the cake. Build up the colors and layers gradually allowing time for each to set as the cocoa butter cools. Ir the butter starts to cool and harden on the saucer replace the boiling water underneath.

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cindww Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 9:46pm
post #6 of 18

I just "painted" a cake yesterday, the Starry Night one in my gallery..I used the Wilton color diluted with a bit of lemon extract on top of the fondant. I then used luster dust diluted with lemon extract to paint some accents on top. I did the "painting" on my pillow cake with luster dusts diluted in extract. It was a fun exercise. Not sure how often I'd do..its time consuming, but its nice to be able to try something new. Hope that helps. Check out meghan89. She uses a lot of painting on her cakes. Her cakes are incredible.

Cindy

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SLK Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 11:37pm
post #7 of 18

cindww - your cake...I mean cakes are awsome! I love the Starry Night cake! Great job.

Now I know how to use something other than luster dust or pettal dust. Thanks for the hints.

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cakesondemand Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 1:43am
post #8 of 18

I will be painting on my first cake next month she wants an oreintal theme she picked out something with bamboo and leaves painted on in black. I found a stencil so I was thinking of air brushing it I have to try it on a piece of fondant to see if it works I'll let you know thought it might be easier I not a very good artist when it comes to drawing something. If there is someone that has done it could you let me know if it will work.

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daltonam Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 2:33am
post #9 of 18

thanks guys

i don't know if hobby lobby or michael's carries any of this stuff---do u know--

this cake is a practice cake, i did want to do it father's day--but i don't have to

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SLK Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 3:44am
post #10 of 18

I get a ton of decorating stuff from Michaels - but they don't have any luster or pettal dust. I either get that on line or at a cake specialty store (there is one about 25 miles from my house.) Look in the phone book to see if a shop is near you. If not, many web sites deliver in just a day or two.

You can get wilton colors at michaels - and since we just learned you can dilute that and paint with it - that would be a quick option.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

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gakali Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 12:50pm
post #11 of 18

I have heard you can dilute colors (Americolors/Wilton/luster dust etc.) with alcohol such as vodka. I haven't tried it. Does anyone know how that would affect the taste? Does it totally evaporate? I would have a hard time serving a cake to my children if I had painted on it with vodka! Even using vanilla or lemon extract - doesn't that make a huge difference in the taste (especially the lemon!)? Thanks for your help.

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cindww Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 12:56pm
post #12 of 18

Evidently, lemon extract has a very high alcohol content so it evaporates quickly. I ate a piece of my starry night cake (Quality control, you know that goes) and there was no taste of lemon. To be fair, I mainly ate the cake and only a little of the fondant, but there wasn't even a strong smell (or any smell for that matter) of lemon. I definitely have heard of using vodka and I would guess its the same principle, the alcohol evaporates and you don't get a taste of vodka. Colette Peters uses lemon extract and she paints alot of cakes. If its good enough for her, its good enough for me icon_smile.gif

Cindy

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johnniekake Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 1:07pm
post #13 of 18

when I paint on a cake or cookies I use gel food colors diluted with water.
(Cake covered in fondant,cookie with royal icing)You have to make the "paint" like water color paint.Just dont be to generous with the water it will take longer to dry.

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johnniekake Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 1:14pm
post #14 of 18

Daltonam in what area do you live in Florida? I live in Florida too......and depending on were you live I can tell you were to find a good cake supply store.

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sweetsuccess Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 1:33pm
post #15 of 18

I use luster dust, non-toxic chalks, or paste colors "watered down" with clear spirits.

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regymusic Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 1:36pm
post #16 of 18

Using just alcohol, i.e. vodka, will cause your colors to come out streaky. Extracts with a high oil content allow the colors to emulsify and the final product to appear smooth. Hope this helps.

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SLK Posted 11 Jun 2006 , 2:47pm
post #17 of 18

I started with vodka and got that streaky affect. I picked up some lemon extract and tried that on my last few cakes and it worked so much better - and as a side note, the lemon extract smelled better than the vodka.

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daltonam Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 2:18am
post #18 of 18

thanks, anyone know any good deco supply stores near/close to gainesville or tallahassee

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