Question About Buttercream Transfers
Decorating By leslies125 Updated 13 Mar 2006 , 9:55pm by cakesbgood
I actually have 2 questions....I read the article about how to do a buttercream transfer and am going to try it....but I am wondering, after you outline and color it, you are supposed to spread icing all over it and put it in the freezer....does that icing that you spread, the same kind that's on your cake I assume...does it not smear the transfer?
the other question I have is....I decorated a cake and had pink flowers on it....I kept it in a cake keeper, airtight, and the next day the flowers had almost faded to white....what happened?
Not sure about the color question.
The BCT that I do, I outline in black and any detail that is in it, then fill in the color using a back and forth motion. Then I take my papertowel after it has set about 10 minutes and smooth it a bit. If I need to I go back over the black outline again.
This technique works for me. Anybody else?
I've only tried the BCT once, for a pooltable cake I did for my oldest sons birthday back in Dec. It came out alright I guess, kind of thick though. So I know next time to use a little thinner icing. But I couldn't get the back layer of icing on it without it trying to smear either, so I had to skip that step. The article says that it's so the other colors don't run into the color that you iced the cake in, to coat the back in the same color. So I was wondering how you do that also, without messing up your BCT that is 
there are two reasons for putting the basecolor frosting on the back. first it's to keep it from bleeding and secondly, it's to well for lack of a better term, 'smoosh" the icing together so that there are no gaps and the finished product has a smoother finish don't worry bout it smearing on the back. it's the other side that shows. As for the thickness, sometimes you can use that for your advantage. The focal point will quite literally, "pop" off the cake surface. and give your finished product a 3-D effect. or you can camo the edges with a small bead or shell border in the basefrosting color or a highlight color from somewhere else off the cake.
Usually after I finish covering the image I make sure that the frosting is a consistent depth. then I place a piece of parchment over the top and smooth or "smoosh" it that way. pop it in the ol freezer and finish airbrushing or whatever to the cake and then pop that puppy on the cake and it's alll done.
can't help much on the BCT, haven't had much practice with them yet.
However on your color question, it sounds like your color faded from sunlight. Did you have your cake in a well lit room or near a window? Even if it is covered, but the cover is fairly clear then the light may have faded it. Also, rarely, but I have heard some people have minerals/chemicals in their water that reacts with certain colors in their icing. not sure if you use tap water in your icing or not, but something to consider.
Leily
Chaptlps, I never thought of it that way, like a 3-D if it comes out a little thick, your right! And I'll remember the next time to just put some kind of border around the transfer. Thank you! Next time I attempt one I won't worry so much about not doing it right 
The trouble I had with the base color on the backside was that not only was I afraid it was smearing it, but it seemed to want to pull it off the wax paper to. Maybe that could have been from it being just a bit to thick? I'll just have to keep at it and give it another try till I get it right 
I agree joanmary, Mac- your cakes are wonderful!
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