Help: Chocolate Transfers Vs. Color Flow
Decorating By homemaluhia Updated 6 Jul 2007 , 6:01pm by homemaluhia
I've been reading about chocolate transfers and also see that many of you also use color flow to make characters, logos, designs. Is one better/easier than the other? I've tried FBCT and had limited success because I didn't have much control with it that's why I'm checking out other ways to do logos.
Are they about the same? Is one easier than the other? Is one more fragile than the other? Do they hold up on the cake?
Thank you!!!
I do lots of royal colorflow and usually prefer it to other methods. It's temperature safe, meaning, in 100 degree weather, you don't have to worry about your decorations vaporizing the moment you take the cake outside.
That said, I am beginning to warm up to chocolate transfers. You must plan at least a day or more in advance for royal colorflow. CT's can be created and ready to use in minutes.
When I do stand-up figures, I prefer royal (see pics in my gallery). When I need something quickly, I like chocolate transfers.
They're both pretty fragile. CT's can easily melt in your fingers. I always chill them before handling and prefer to wear gloves. Royal colorflow can shatter if dropped or mishandled.
Diane,
Thank you for your advice!! Can either of these techniques be used to decorate on gumpaste? I was thinking about making "signs" and propping them on the cake. Or are the CT's and CF's sturdy enough to be the sign?
BTW, I love your tool box cake. I have it in my favs for my husband's birthday!
Aloha,
Teri
Teri, either the colorflow or the CT is sturdy enough to be the sign. Gumpaste is another animal altogether. Where I have colorflow pieces standing (jungle cake, dinosaur cake), I use a little royal to glue one or two toothpics to the back of the piece. You have to be very careful not to press hard or the piece will break. Also be careful to push it in only until the piece just barely touches the cake. If you keep pushing, the piece will break.
CT's can be mounted on toothpicks or lollipop sticks too, but, if the cake has to go outside - even for a few seconds - and it's very hot and/or sunny, your CT's will melt before your eyes!
Hope this helps!
Oh Thank you for the information. I'm in Hawaii and it is July!!! So I'm certain it will be hot and very humid. CT's are out. Do you know if color flow is okay in the heat and humidity?
Teri
The only potential problem with colorflow is, it may take twice as long for your pieces to dry because of the humidity. I would suggest making them as far in advance as possible - at least 4 days. And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS make extras to allow for breakage. You'd rather have a piece you don't need than the alternative!
Pipe a few 'test' blobs along with your colorflow pieces. Use these pieces to check whether everything is dry enough yet.
Is there somewhere I can read/watch a tutorial on how to do Color Flow??? I've looked here on CC in the tutorials section but I can't find anything.
Is there somewhere I can read/watch a tutorial on how to do Color Flow??? I've looked here on CC in the tutorials section but I can't find anything.
Here's the link to the Wilton instructions on color flow: http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects//icing/colorflow.cfm
lol I don't know how to read lmao 
no really I can obviously but I'm a better learner when I'm watching or at least looking at pics lol
Nice to see someone else from Hawaii on here!!!! Thanks for asking this question too, because I'm thinking of doing my first cupcake cake for DH's birthday and I wasn't sure whether to do color flow or a chocolate transfer for it. I've only seen white/milk/dark chocolate at ben franklin. Have you seen colors anywhere else?
If the CT is against the cake you will be ok. If it is going to be free standing I would use CF.
I personally prefer chocolate transfers. To me you can do details better and they dont have to be done so far in advance. People are more likely to want to eat them as well. Just my opinion though, I am just a lot better at chocolate transfers, so I am biased! LOL! I have a lot of examples in my gallery if you need a looksie
Well, I thought I'd do color flow since it seems like the CTs may melt.
I could only find color flow at a kitchen speciality store, my local craft stores, WalMart and party stores don't carry color flow.
TanuvasaMama, I found a lot of colors of chocolate at Party City in Waikele ... very far from where you are.
FYI, for those of you not from Hawaii, "around the island" is very far for us!
(even if it is only 30+ miles!) 
I live in FL...very hot and humid as wll. I found that mixing powdered sugar with raw egg white (aka:RI) (and colors) works very well for outlines and flooding, without the whipping into meringue and all that. Just add more powd sug for more stiff, or more whites for more flow. Made about 2-3 days ahead they are beauties.
I made butterflies for some cupcakes and they were lovely. On my pictures you can see them on the pink and orange cupcakes.
So this way you don't have to find any special products somewhere far away!
Well, I thought I'd do color flow since it seems like the CTs may melt.
I could only find color flow at a kitchen speciality store, my local craft stores, WalMart and party stores don't carry color flow.
TanuvasaMama, I found a lot of colors of chocolate at Party City in Waikele ... very far from where you are.
"Colorflow" is a generic term meaning flow-in, run-in, run sugar, etc.. I never use the Wilton colorflow. It's a total ripoff! Did you know it was invented for no other reason than so Wilton could sell a product along with their run sugar lesson? I just use regular royal icing. However, I DO prefer to use Wilton brand of meringue powder.
I do chocolate transfers and have done color flow. I think they are both very similar to work with once they have been prepared. The only thing that i've noticed is the chocolate transfers harden quicker then color flow and TASTE better!!! =-).. i also enjoy eating the "left over" chocolate!! mmmmmm 
There is no recipe. You just use chocolate to trace the outline of and fill in any picture you would like to create using chocolate/white choc. or chocolate coating (like candy melts that come in different colors.) And once its set you peel it off and place it on your cake. Its best to use acetate sheets...or from what I've read here, mylar from the craft store.
I prefer chocolate transfers to color flow. Choc transfers are hard within a few minutes! And they're more yummy!
I have a few cakes with choc transfers in my photos (UPS cake, Winnie the Pooh tree cake, football helmets cake)....some of them I've placed laying down on the cake, some of them I've stood up, some of them I've stood up on the sides of the cake!
mom2spunkynbug, your cakes are great. They make me want to try CT. Since I've never done them, I won't for this cake, it'd be a disaster if they melted down.
Thanks, DianeLM, for your advice and info. I'll be using RI!
Thank you everyone!!!
Aloha!
Teri
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