Keep Colors From Bleeding?

Decorating By LittleBigMomma Updated 27 Mar 2006 , 5:13am by jlh

LittleBigMomma Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LittleBigMomma Posted 26 Mar 2006 , 4:02pm
post #1 of 5

Friday, I designed and decorated a fairy cake(pics in gallery) for delivery on Saturday. The customer ordered the cake, cupcakes, smash cake and truffles. So, I had a lot going on and finished the fairy cake Friday night. When I got up Saturday morning, the navy color of the dress had bled into the white dots! Does anyone have any suggestions on how this can be prevented?

Thank you in advance for your help and comments.

4 replies
Lazy_Susan Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Lazy_Susan Posted 26 Mar 2006 , 4:05pm
post #2 of 5

I don't have a clue so I can't offer any help. However, do you think that if you tried fondant pearls for the dots if it would bleed?

Lazy_Susan

Cake_Princess Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Cake_Princess Posted 26 Mar 2006 , 4:57pm
post #3 of 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by LittleBigMomma

Friday, I designed and decorated a fairy cake(pics in gallery) for delivery on Saturday. The customer ordered the cake, cupcakes, smash cake and truffles. So, I had a lot going on and finished the fairy cake Friday night. When I got up Saturday morning, the navy color of the dress had bled into the white dots! Does anyone have any suggestions on how this can be prevented?

Thank you in advance for your help and comments.




Bleeding really is a result of transfer of moisture along with the dye being used.

When I am using colors that are prone to bleeding I will try to let the icing dry longer than I normally would then I would go back and fill in the lighter colors.

If I am placing a darker-bleed icing on a lighter background, I wait until it's really good and crusted over then I add my darker colour. I also try to minimize the amount of water I added to the dark icing.

A lot of the WMI will tell you that meringue powder will prevent bleeding. I know that's not true because I had a recipe chalked full of meringue powder and it still bled.

LittleBigMomma Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LittleBigMomma Posted 27 Mar 2006 , 1:47am
post #4 of 5

Thank you both for your comments.

It crossed my mind to airbrush white over each dot. But, the fear of disaster and last minute panic caused a sudden snap back to realizing that it wasn't all that bad and any attempt to fix it might make the problem more obvious. At least I made my pics before I went to bed Friday night!!

This is not a hobby for a perfectionist. And, I are one. (when it comes to my cakes & cooking)

jlh Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jlh Posted 27 Mar 2006 , 5:13am
post #5 of 5

I do ice cream cakes and wrestle with bleeding colors. It drives me nuts. I've found that bleeding is particularly bad on whipped cream icing. I have tried Squirley's recipe for the 50/50 buttercream recipe (for frozen buttercream transfers). Her recipe seems to minimize my bleeding problem. I use that frosting for the really colorful parts of my designs, but I believe some bleeding is just inevitable.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%