I just completed my first buttercream transfer (practice). I followed the directions posted here, but still have some questions. I wasn't able to smooth away all of the holes. Is there a special trick? Also, it is sweating at the moment. Do I leave it out to dry or should I refrigerate? I outlined the whole picture in Wilton black. Not only did it try to lift off the paper as I was smoothing, it bled. How do I fix that? Thanks to all of you patient decorators!

I use the Dec-A-Cake or Cake Mate black. I just squeeze the entire tube in a bag and add my tip.

When you are piping the bc in the outline try and keep the movement of your tip/bag as close together as possible. This will help eliminate any gaps in the icing. The size tip you are using could also cause issues. If you are using a small tip to fill in a large area, you're more than likely to get "lines"! Try using a #5 for larger areas. You could also try squeezing out more bc in one shot to fill in an area instead of using small strokes! Does that make sense? I dab my finger in cornstarch and lightly press not smooth the icing before I put the backing on it!

Definately freeze it. I freeze mine for at least 30 minutes!



Amy

How stiff was your icing? I was just about to try this for the first time....

I use a medium icing consistency. I also would use a tip 5 if you are filling in a big area and then I use my tip to sort of push it to the edges and smooth as I go if that makes any sense. I don't get any lines. Of course I have only done three of these and they have all been pretty intricate, so my tips have been smaller. I make my own black icing to outline with if I need it, otherwise I just outline with the color I am using for that area. here is a sample of the last one I did.

Thanks cakemommy. I just cut the tip of a parchment bag and went from there. I'll try a #5 next time (actually Wednesday for cake due Thursday!) I froze it for about an hour. It's sweating since I removed it from the freezer..Is this normal?

Imartsy, my icing was medium.

Is it already on the cake? Stupid question!!!!

Sweating as in colors running or you just see it shiney a bit. The icing will soften almost immediately upon taking out of freezer so you'll need to place it on the cake ASAP!


Amy

I just posted a picture. It began to sweat after I had placed it on the cake.

Freddyfl--that is awesome! How long did that take you?

thank you. It took me probably about three hours of just the piping, not the mixing of the frosting, so maybe 4 hours or so. I watch tv while I do it, so I can't say exactly, but it took a really long time. LOL. I could never charge anyone by the hour, I am just too slow! =) I added some comments to your practice cake photo. It is a really cute sun. =) what kind of icing are you using? I haven't had mine sweat before, but I haven't made any in the summer either. I use an all margarine buttercream, although the white in that is crisco buttercream since I needed it to be true white.

I refrigerate mine (after I put it on cake) until almost ready to serve, because the black does tend to bleed. I have also found it's better for me to start w/canned chocolate frosting mixed with a little black coloring rather than mixing my own black or using Wilton's tube of black icing. It seems to bleed less. The Wilton seems to bleed more than if I mix up a batch of BC and then color it black. And like you said, it seems to pull away from the wax paper.
Also I've found after doing several, it best if your BC is really thin. I also read somewhere to use a a swirling motion as you fill your outline to help prevent lines.
Hope this makes sense and is helpful.

I put wax paper on the back and after it has froze for about an hour and a half I take it out of the freezer and carefully remove it from the cardboard I put it on so I can see the front of the image. Then if there are any small holes or lines I carefully use my fingertip to gently rub the area--it warms and melts together. Don't use a lot of pressure just rub lightly. I flip it back onto the cardboard and freeze it for about 15 minutes to get it firm again. So far that has worked for me. I use plastic wrap not wax paper when doing my transfers so I can see them better. Hope this helps.

I have one question about the canned frosting. Do you think you can freeze the canned frosting? I know the can says it can be refrigerated for 2 weeks, but I would like to keep using the canned frosting for the outlines and not just throw it away.

The sweating is totally normal. You can decrease the bleeding by using a papertowel and lightly applying it while the cake is perspiring to absorb the extra colors. I had a lot of trouble w/that on my pokemon cake. I find it's easier (now) to take a chocolate frosting and use that to outline. I use the wilton chocolate and just refridgerate what I don't use. The kids tend to use what's left if I don't have another project lined up in the near future. For the holes, you might need a thinner consistency frosting. I tap the image down before I freeze it, then use a brush to smooth any lines that may still be there during the perspiring mode after I put it on the cake. Makes it really easy to blend those area's at that time (using a small food safe brush-like an artist brush). then after it crusts over, I'll smooth it totally with wax paper and a fondant smoother (some ppl prefer to use viva papertowels as they say they have no pattern and work well for smoothing a cake, but I have not tried this). Your cake turned out really nice!