I have a wedding cake this weekend and the bride wants white fondant w/ black scrollwork and dots.

I've never done scrollwork before and I'm somewhat leary because I have a "nervous" hand. I'm especially nervous because if I mess up, it will get pretty messy wiping black icing off of white fondant. I have two questions:

1) Should I use black b/c or black royal icing for the scrollwork?
2) Does anyone have any suggestions for the easiest way to do scrollwork; nothing fancy just simple arcs?

Thanks!

You can cut a template for your scroll work out of heavy paper or plastic. Either make a shape you can pipe just above, or cut out a line you can use to mark your path. I think I would use royal, for the stability.

I use the Wilton presses .... press the pattern into the icing and trace it.

For my wilton course 3, I did the wedding cake with scroll work. I found the wilton press quite easy...just made the markings with the press and piped it over with royal icing ( inwhich I had mixed a little piping gel).

Dora

I have a "nervous hand" too so when I needed simple swirls for a cake I put some fondant into a clean "Play Doh Factory" toy with the appropriate shape mold and pushed out long strands of thin fondant. I cut the strands to length then placed on the cake in swirl shapes. A tiny dab of water or vodka will hold the fondant swirls in place. It's labor intensive but looks good.

P.S. I find that when I'm doing the scrolls, the slower I go, the worse it looks. Move your hand pretty quickly and it helps with the steadiness.