I am doing a wedding cake. The bride wants ribbon around the bottom edges of each tier. I know I need to use wax paper (or something else, suggestions welcome) as a barricade between the sating ribbon and the icing. I tried using double sided tape to hold the wax paper to the ribbon, but this made the top and bottome edges of the ribbon curl a little bit. WHAT SHOULD I DO. PLEASE HELP ME.

Okay, I am replying to my own post because it is kind of an EMERGENCY. SO somebody help me please please please please

I know that there are many opinions on this, but I never use anything between the ribbon and the cake. I always use satin ribbon and have never had an issue with grease, from American BC or IMBC. Unless it's a food safety law in your area, I wouldn't bother with the extra step. I think people get a little too caught up in the 'non-food product touching the cake' issue, but if you think about everything involved in building a wedding cake...cardboard, dowles, parchment paper, or any cake for that matter...plastic decorations, luster dusts, food coloring, I can't image that anything is going leach into the cake for the few hours the ribbon is touching it.
( Disclaimer for the masses : MY opinion...no need to quote and rebut, but feel free to respectfully disagree )

The only time I use any barrier is if I'm using organza ribbon, then I'll use fondant tinted the same color and cut the same size of the ribbon.

I don't htink you actually put a layer of wax paper between the ribbon and the cake. I'm sure I've read somewhere on here that you iron the ribbon over the wax paper and that seals the ribbon to stop any grease etc seeping into the fabric. HTH

I also never use anything but ribbon on cake ... no wax paper, no press-n-seal, no tape, nothing.

I use a good crusting BC, and once the icing has crusted and there are no wet spots on the icing, I attach the ribbon to the dry icing surface and no grease/wet spots. Polyester ribbon is more susceptible to showing grease spots than anything.

Iron the wax paper back over the back of the ribbont.....it will melt the wax and it will "coat" the back to help with any/if any bleed through

You guys are awesome!!!! I feel so much better now. The ribbon is only giong to be on the cake for a few hours and if you say it will not bleed then i am going to trust you. Thank you so much!!!

Once it's crusted over, What do you use to help keep the ribbon in place or to stay around the cake?

Thanks

yes...if it is BC....make sure it is crusted.....also, I use a non stick glue and put a stick pin in it until dried....just be sure that it is non-toxic

Somebody already asked this, but it hasn't been answered yet. How do I get the ribbon to stick to the cake??? I want to use BC but I am afraid that it will bleed onto to the ribbon since it isn't crusted. I really need to stick it to the cake b/c the bride also has a ribbon that looks like metal and has little crystals on it that she wants glued to the center of the satin ribbon, and it is kind of dheavy.

I learned here on CC to spray the ribbon with veg. oil. This deepens the colour of the ribbon - actually quite nicely - and any leak thru grease is not noticeable. Wrap the ribbon around the cake and secure with piping gel. I did this with 15 table cakes last fall for a wedding and it worked like a charm.

HTH
Anna

If the ribbon is wired, then I remove the wires first because I find it curves easier. They should be quite easy to remove - just pinch the wire with tweezers or pliers and pull it on through.

In the craft or dollar store, you can buy little wheel-type tape dispensers with a rolling tape. It's double sided and I think it's used mostly for doing scrapbooking. I roll this on the end of my ribbon and join the two ends together and pull them as tight as I can without denting the cake.

Every now and then, there may be a little spot that doesn't fit right into the side of the cake, so I'll take a little artist brush, dip it in clear vanilla, and wet that little area. Wait a few seconds until the vanilla is "tacky" and then lightly press the ribbon to the cake. Nine times out of ten I don't have to bother with this step because the rolling tape works great.

Good luck with your cake!

Just in time. I am doing a cupcake tower with a cake as the top tier and the bride decided last night to switch from fondant with a ribbon, to IMBC iced cake (to match the cupcakes) with a ribbon. My first response was that I didn't know how that would work with the IMBC potentially staining the ribbon. I am happy to see that I can!! Thanks!

I wrap the ribbon around the cake and "Glue" the ends together in the back with a dot of bc icing. If there is any grease spot, this is the only place it will show.

Agree with the above post about using wire ribbon. Try to avoid it. It's hard to work with.

I dont put wax paper either..I read someone was having issues with grease still after ironing it. I just tell the brides is going to get a shade darker when it soaks the grease and that way i dont have to deal with the issue!.
After the whole ribbon soaks the grease it looks fine..
To attach I put dots of icing at the level were my pearls go and on the back I use some glue..(did you know that crazy glue is ok to use..Dr use it to seal things in the human body sometimes) Anyway..is just in the ribbon I put the glue..Only on the back were it attaches.

Edna