Hi, does anyone know how to achieve the glossy finish on the diagonal stripes on the 2nd tier of this cake.

Thanks

I don't know for sure...but it looks like the area around the chevrons was masked, then gold leaf was applied to the cake. I don't think you'd get that much of a shine if the gold color was painted on. Plus, I'd be willing to bet that this was a dummy cake. It doesn't seem very practical as a real cake, I don't know. Where did the original photo come from?

I rhink she was talking about the glossy contrast on the next tier up, costumeczar, although I liked your advice about how to get that glow on the chevrons. And I think your answer is applicable to the other tier, too: I would mask the matte parts and paint the stripes with a clear glaze.

Thats a Charm City Cakes one

Oh yeah, I can't count today...

You can mask and use confectioner's glaze to make shiny stripes, but that tends to fade out after a while,so it won't stay shiny like that. It will change the color enough that you'll get the contrast, though, and as long as it's under lights it will probably still reflect back a little.  Or paint it with a thinned-out pearl dust.

Now that I look at the original picture on the charm city website, too, the bottom tier looks like it's painted gold, then the turquoise is applied over that. The shadows on the chevrons looks like the edge of th green is on top of the gold, not the other way around. http://www.charmcitycakes.com/gallery/stacked

Maybe they are strips from a gelatin sheet, like you'd make for gelatin butterflies or flowers.

AI was thinking it might be gelatin too, but that just seems gross...

Oh, I don't know, if you painted liquid gelatin on the unmasked parts, it  probably wouldn't even alter the taste of the cake. I was also thinking piping gel.

I'm no fan of Jell-o (the ready-flavored stuff), either, costumeczar,but I love doing things with gelatin. It's just so versatile. And, of course, I was just thinking out loud, so I have no idea how it would actually behave. I wouldn't mind giving it a whirl in one of my "lab sessions", where I just spend a couple of hours trying things out to see what happens. I guess I could try a side-by-side test of glaze, shortening, piping gel and gelatin on fondant to see which one looks the best, tastes less yucky and lasts the longest. Hahaha - sounds like a plan for some evening when I have no deadlines and there's something good on TV to watch while everything is drying!

Thanks for the invitation. I'll try to get organized enough to do it before the Christmas rush is upon us!