Hi guys... I'm trying to pull my thoughts together for a cake I have due this weekend. It's a 14" round carrot cake, with a large logo on top (going to do a transfer)... he wants rice paper maple leaves all around the cake (just schmeered piping gel on them, they're drying...)... and now he wants lettering (four names) around the sides of the cake.

The frosting is a soft one - maple cream cheese. What's the best way to approach the lettering? Hand piping will look messy, I think (I stink at writing at that angle!)... I saw some cutters (fondant?) but I don't have time to order and get them in....I need some help!

Many thanks!!

Lori

PS... I forgot to add that the cake is three layers, so the sides will be a roughly 4-5" in height... I'll need to make some big-ish letters to keep them from looking awkward...

use the press letters from wilton hope that helps

hi

if you do not have the letter press; try printing the names you need; then make the letters as chocolate transfers.
I do it all the time....

ciao

how about making the names on the computer in the size and style that you would like and print it out and then put wax paper over it and trace it with Royal maybe? Then when it dries just stick it to the side of your cake? I did writing on the side of the CUBS cake in my pictures but I just did it freehand

You could cut them out of fondant. Just print them out like mentioned before and then cut each letter out to make a pattern and use an exacto knife to cut each one out. Mix in a little gum tex and they'll harden nicely and stand out some.

Fondant or chocolate transfer. Just about all my writing is done in the chocolate transfer method. Print using mirror image on paper from computer, place the printed paper under report cover or wax paper, pipe letters using melted candy melts, let them firm up then pop them off and use the flat side as the top of the letters...
did that make sense???

what's easiest for me is to do it on the computer. find the font and size you want and print it out in mirror. Then put parchment over it and trace it with clear piping gel and stick it on your cake (that transfers the pattern). then you just pipe over it with your icing in the bag with a #3 (or whatever) tip. you don't have to write well... just print in reverse and copy!

I like the chocolate/tracing idea... but I think I'm going to go with fondant letters for this cake (chocolate would be weird on a carrot cake w/cream cheese, I think). They logo on top has two specific colors, so I'm going to see if I can get some MMF to that color, and then cut them out.

I thought about doing them in royal... but since the cake sides have a curve, won't they poke out on the edges if done flat?

I'm thinking of doing some run-in for the logo (it's pretty simple)... has anyone done run-in letters and used them on a cake? Are they pliable enough to curve to the side of a cake? Would you freeze them before moving them?

I'm worried that there might be too much going on on this cake... so if I can use the same method/color for the logo and the names on the sides (in addition to the wafer paper fall leaves), it'll look less crazy-busy.

Any pointers greatly appreciated!!

Lori

Hobby Lobby has 101 wilton cookie cutters... They have a good size alphabet. I think it was about 10.00 for the whole alphabet, 1-10 numbers and alot more useful cutters. I bought it just for the letters. Hope this helps!

How about rolling fondant into long thin tube shaes and working with it to form the letters that way?

What... you haven't had a drink yet?? Get mixing!!!

I have never had problems with them sticking, just wet the back of the letters abit and attach to the icing. I would make sure your fondant tubes were on the smaller side though, because of the weight.

Maybe pop the cake in the freezer for an hour or two before you go to make sure sure everyting sets.

If you look on page 2 of my gallery, the first picture, the flowers are fondant stuck to the side and it is buttercream. This would be similar to what you are doing.

BTW...using candy melts would probably stick better, if you decide to go this route, I don't think the flaver would be odd, you wouldn't bu using much.