Hello,

If my cake is due Saturday, but I am having to rebake, and I am using IMBC that I don't want to sit out for a while.....

and I have an intricate picture to do, so I can't FBCT....

Could I make a "canvas" the size of the top of the cake, and paint it, then apply it the next day? Could I do it with fondant, 50/50, gumpaste, or pastillage?

WOuld it work?

Thanks!

I'd go it with something that's going to set up a little harder, like 50/50 gumpaste/fondant at least, since it might stretch when you move it if it's only fondant. But yes, you can do that

Awesome! I couldn't have paid for a better answer. Thanks.

I am attempting to do this as well. Are you using a pattern to transfer your image or are you doing it freehand? If you're transferring a pattern, have you figured out how you are going to do it? I would love some tips!!

Well, my sister and I are doing it together. We have printed out the image to size, and are actually going to first make make a "template" using an Exacto knife, cutting out the lines.

Then we are going to lay it on the fondant, and spray a can of black color mist to get the outline. Then we will go from there.

Cutting out the template takes time, but it really helps!

Just make sure that you do the plaque on something that it won't stick to when you go to remove it, like a silicone mat. Then when you take it off, peel it off the way you'd do a royal icing colorflow piece....Take the piece off of the paper by peeling the paper off while keeping the plaque flat (roll it off of the edge of the counter, etc.) If you try to peel the plaque off of the backing by picking it up it could crack or break.

Parchment paper and even wax paper will absorb moisture and bubble up making little waves in your flat plaque. It stinks when that happens. the best thing I have done to dry a flat plaque is to really pack on the cornstartch on the back side and dust a baking sheet with even more cornstarch and lay it on there to set up and dry. If you have it on anything flexible moving it around to paint it will result in wrinkles that will just about kill you at some point. Cornstarch can be dusted off carefully later.
I have made some big plaques. The ladybug face I did was 7". You can make big things, you just have to be carefull moving them around and careful not to pick it up until it is hard and dry.

Thanks sadsmile for the explanation about the parchment paper. I did a trial and just layed out a piece of gumpaste on parchment and it did exactly that. How thick do you make your plaques? And, do you let it dry before painting on it?

I have made them 1/8 to 3/16ths thick so that when they are dry they are substantial enough to hold together and not crack-any thinner and it will be to fragile and you risk breakage. I have painted wet and dry. The
advantage to painting on dry it that if you make a boo-boo you can wipe it clean and re-do it till your heart's content so long as you clean it off right away. If you paint on wet it is going to seep into it and if you try to wipe it away you may stretch the plaque or rub a dent into it. Glad I could help, that is what we are all here for.

Thanks so much!! I had actually asked the same kind of question in another post but I got more help on this one!

By the way, sadsmile, how do you transfer a pattern onto the plaque, if you do that?

I'm not sure why an intricate picture would prevent a FBCT, it seems like most of the FBCTs I've seen have been more intricate than regular piping would be.

But you could also go to a local cakery and see if they could print you off an edible image, too.

Thanks, Sadsmile for the heads up.

Hey Varika, I am hesistant to do FBCT because there is a lot of shading that needs done. I don't think it would work very well, and most places won't make an Ed Image if it's copywrighted.