Are there any tricks to doing a chocolate transfer? I am thinking of attempting it but I really don't know what to do. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

here is a link for doing Frozen Buttercream Transfer. It is the same technique for chocolate transfer except you use chocolate.

http://www.cakecentral.com/article12-How-To-Create-a-Frozen-Buttercream-Transfer.html

Charmed, I get confused on steps 7 and 8...I think. How does it go from you tracing on was paper and coloring in to smoothing the back? Do you flip it over at some point? How does this work?

I think I know the answer but if I'm wrong, someone correct me. You start out by outlining the picture with the black icing. After that, you've got to work from the foreground to the background so to speak. You're still on the front of the waxed paper. After all areas are colored in, you smear the whole picture with your icing that's the color of the top of your cake. Then you put it in the freezer for 90 minutes and continue from those directions.

It seems to me that you'd need to freeze the paper after you completed all the areas before spreading the icing color over the whole thing. That way you'd avoid smearing the colors together. I hope this helps!

LillyLou you explained it perfectly!!

Ok, I think I got it. I will give it a whirl and see what happens! Thank you!!

If using chocolate DO NOT use wax paper unless you want a matte finish. If you want a shiney finish use acetate or (cheaper) 12x12 scrapbook sleeves. The big bird in my pics is a chocolate transfer. Good luck!

Thank you very much. I had done a search for chocolate transfer, I never thought about doing a search for Buttercream transfer.

Thank you everybody for clarifying between step 7 and 8. It doesn't seem so scary now so i think I will give it a try.

Scrapbook sleeve? Like one you would put your page in to go into the book? Not like I don't have TONS of those laying around!! I have so many I don't know what to do with them....well, that was until now! Thanks for the info forthwife!!

Also, see the whimsical bakehouse website for tips, some templates and directions on chocolate transfers. There are a few other tutorials on the web too, if you go a google search on chocolate transfers. I have done several choc transfer cakes (almost every cake I've decorated so far--my 3 yo son thinks all birthday cakes have to have 'chocolate cookies' on top ) and the choc transfer technique is very easy. You can use wax paper if you like, although plastic wrap will make it a more shiny finish (doesn't need to be acetate sheets or whatever........you only need to make sure there are no wrinkles!) I find it MUCH easier than frozen buttercream transfers, b/c you can get much more detail and because you don't have to freeze it at all, and/or worry about it thawing.
Anyway, most of my cakes have choc transfers on them....take a look if you like, or not...... I would be happy to help you with any other specific questions too. Good luck and have fun!

I'm glad my tip helped! I was SUPER frustrated in my (failed) search to buy acetate sheets locally so the scrapbook sleeve became my go to. Plus, that way you can slide your image into the sleeve and keep it in one place.

forthwife: The big bird looks so good - can't believe you did that with chocolate!

Thank you! It was actually the first one I ever did (they're pretty easy). Best thing I learned is the chocolate has to be somewhat thinned with shortening or you'll get air bubbles like CRAZY!

Forthwife, do you outline, let it dry and then do the rest? Also, how much water do you add. Does it get just as hard with the water in it?

Sorry, but I would be really careful with scrapbook sleeves. I am thinking they are not very food safe. Little kids will definitely eat the chocolate if you let them.

Scrapbook sleeves are fine to do the chocolate transfers on. They're chemically identical to acetate. They're foodsafe, but NOT meant to be eaten. Regarding how I do the transfer. NEVER add water to your chocolate, it will seize up and be ruined. Melt your chocolate (candy melts work too) in the microwave (or a double boiler) add your colors (oil based candy colors) and a small amount of shortening. You'll want it *slightly* thinner but not watery. It's like a reverse painting. Outline first, color details then fill in the body. To do the "Big Bird" in my pics I actually used a coloring book image. Outlined the black, filled in the pupils of the eyes, the tongue, eyelids, then the whites of the eyes, and lastly dumped a bunch of yellow for his body. Do let your chocolate dry between stages (10ish minutes). Once you're done, pop it in the freezer for 5ish minutes and Violla! Oh, as a side note I tape my image inside the sleeve so it doesn't move. Then I tape the sleeve to a large glass cutting board so it can be moved from counter to freezer easily without bending it. Good luck!!! (PM or post back if you have any other questions.)

Arainna Forth

The freezing step is optional for chocolate transfers. I never freeze mine.
And you can use any basic graphic you can find on the web too. Coloring pages, outlines, whatever. The sky is the limit.
Also, if you use Merckens wafers, you may not need to add any shortening at all. With Wilton's, you generally do. Wilton's wafers do not melt as consistently and sometimes remain slightly thick and glumpy (haha....I know it's not a real word, but it's oddly appropriate here.)
I hope you will at least wash the scrapbook sheets before use. Scrap aluminum at Lowe's is chemically identical to reynolds aluminum foil, but I wouldn't be using it as food-safe product.

I'll have to try this one. I will certainly need to use the coloring books as I'm not too good at drawing. Great ideas, everyone!

I also appreciate the idea that the wax paper will produce matte finishes and plastic will produce glossy finishes. I would have never thought of that!

You can find many outlines/drawings online also. One thing to be aware of is that you may need to reverse the image if doing a face of some sort. I use only Wilton candy melts and have never had to thin them at all. I melt them in the microwave and stir them until smooth. I actually like using the Wilton melts because I can combine colors to get what I need or use the candy colorings.

Something else that can be used as a surface for your CT is a report cover or what I use is plexiglass. I will put the transfer in the fridge for a few minutes to speed up the process, but if your house is cool it will work just fine at room temp.

Also, just a quick tip, when I'm doing a transfer and have multiple colors set up, I use a heating pad on low to keep the chocolate at a workable temp. When you're working with as many as 10 different colors this really helps!

The heating pad is a great tip! Although I'd have to buy one (living in Florida they aren't a household item).

I did a chocolate transfer onto a cake and it turned out fabulous!!!!

I ordered from Country Kitchen SweetArt. They have the sheets already prepared and include easy to follow instructions. Here's the example of what I did on a six inch chocolate cake.

Good Luck,

cakeymom

How do I do fine details like eyes? I'm working on a Yoda right now and cannot get his eyes right. He ends up looking crazy every time. I can't get the tip small enough on my bag to get this right. Any help would be much appreciated!

Aside from just cutting a teeny, tiny hole in the end of your bag....... at just let the littlest bit of chocolate out.....it will spread a little when it hits.....
Actually, you have the most control if you make your own icing cones, but the parchment triangles that are usually used for this don't work so hot with the chocolate. Cellophane sheets work best and are available from several online decorating suppliers. But, I realize that doesn't help you at the moment.
You should be able to do it with diposable bags though. All the faces on my animal cake and pooh cake were done with just disposable bags. They are far from perfect, but I don't think they are "crazy" Try cutting a teeny hole....and you can also experiment with whether a small angled cut or a small straight cut will work best for you. I think most people will have better control with an angle, but sometimes that makes the hoel a little bigger than a straight cut would.
Sorry I can't help more.

Thank you - that helps tremendously! I will post pictures after I get this right. I really appreciate your advice.

giraffe11 is absolutely correct about making parchment bags for tiny details. They work great. For eyes, I've also dipped a toothpick (or even a straight pin if necessary) in the chocolate and "drop" the iris into place.

Ooh.....I like your idea about using a pin. I might try that next time I am fighting the details!

The pin and toothpick trick worked great. It helped me get the eyes to finally look right. Cutting the tip slim helped too - thanks so much!

So, did you post a picture? We wanna see!

So, did you post a picture? We wanna see!