How Do I Make A Waterfall

Decorating By srodts Updated 29 Jul 2008 , 3:18pm by michellenj

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srodts Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:02pm
post #1 of 13

Hi all
My neice has asked me to make her daughter's 1st birthday cake, and I want to make a topsy turvy cake so my sister came up with a cake that has ducks, waterfall, frogs, stone, turtles, and trees on it and my question is how to make the waterfall? Any of the cakes I see with waterfalls they say use piping gel, but isnt that stuff nasty? I have used it to do a picture transfer but that much gel is just nasty to me cuz it smells bad. Do you put it on fondant then put it on the cake or how do you do it? HELP! Sorry aobut rambling but I just dont get it. icon_redface.gif

Thanks all you guys are the best I have learned so much from you all. thumbs_up.gif

12 replies
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campeli Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:17pm
post #2 of 13

I did a waterfall on a Diego cake, similar to many posted in the galleries. I just used blue and white buttercream and a star tip. I just piped rows, alternating colors. Then using a little spreader, I smoothed and swirled the colors to blend them. Came out great! HTH!

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armywife1 Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:19pm
post #3 of 13

I did a waterfall cake and all I did was color some fondant, drape it down the front of the cake tiers, then luster dusted with silver to make it shimmer. I'm not sure how the gel would taste, but maybe someone here can help you with that. Good luck!

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LSW Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:23pm
post #4 of 13

Not much help with the piping gel on the fondant, but I agree, it doesn't smell the greatest! I have done cakes with the gel and found a solution to the taste. Using a little flavoring, (I used peppermint for the water) will give a better taste to it. Just add a little at a time and taste until you get it as strong as you want. HTH

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shellzey Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:30pm
post #5 of 13

my son's birthday cake had a waterfall on it. it's in my pictures. what you can't see is that i used a blue glitter gel. it was a great effect and made it look very realistic.

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julzs71 Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:31pm
post #6 of 13

How about using poured sugar. You could make it look like it is a waterfall.

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jennifer7777 Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:33pm
post #7 of 13

You can flavor piping gel with clear vanilla extract.
For the waterfall, swirl white buttercream down the cake where the waterfall will go...then go back over the white buttercream with your blue piping gel, spreading with an offset spatula.

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ashcake Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:35pm
post #8 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by shellzey

my son's birthday cake had a waterfall on it. it's in my pictures. what you can't see is that i used a blue glitter gel. it was a great effect and made it look very realistic.





I do the same thing as shellzey. I have used it on a couple of my cakes in my photos. And some that aren't on there. I took some white BC just slapped it on pretty much, no smoothing. Take the blue glitter gel put it on top of the BC icing. It comes in a tube. Then took my spatchula and moved the gel around. If you want it darker add more gel. You can press with alittle pressure and pull straight up and it makes a wave.

HTH! Good luck!

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littlejake Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 8:38pm
post #9 of 13

I'm no expert but, I just did a waterfall and all I used was buttercream icing and didn't totally mix the blue color in it. Then just spread it down the side of the cake. It's in my pictures. Hope it helps alittle.

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shellzey Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 9:11pm
post #10 of 13

when you want to make waves i would just use a tooth pick and pull up some of the white icing over the gel or swirl it. once you fiddle with it you can get the effect you are looking for. when i put the gel on i would also do it in streaks down the in the direction the water flows. it gives more of a natural look and easier to then just blend etc. i hope that makes sense

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srodts Posted 28 Jul 2008 , 9:33pm
post #11 of 13

Thank you all for your help! I now have some different ways to try it.
You guys are the best thanks again!!!

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pottedmeatchunks Posted 29 Jul 2008 , 1:25am
post #12 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by srodts

isnt that stuff nasty?




Yes!! Here is my waterfall I made by just piping different shades of purply blue buttercream next to eachother. It would have looked better with big white bubles as opposed to what I did but it was one of my first ever cakes...
LL

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michellenj Posted 29 Jul 2008 , 3:18pm
post #13 of 13

I think there is a recipe on here for a homemade piping gel that tastes better.

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