I'm new here and just learned of the FBCT and feel in love with the idea. Printed the instructions, tried it last weekend for a Disney Princess cake for GD 2nd BD. Worked on the layers til 1:00 am. Concerned that after each layer I would freeze for about 15-30 min, but it wasn't frozen solid, could swipe finger across and it felt slick and maybe a little color would come off on finger. Froze until Saturday afternoon after frosted cake and let crust. Was VERY CAREFUL taking from freezer to cake. Placed on cake and pulled off the wax paper (slowly)- and along came most of the frosted picture!!!! I was moritified.! I was soo upset. So I tried to fix it by painting it with frosting, which didn't come out too well on faces especially. I don't know what I did wrong, can someone help me? I think this is an awesome technique if I can do it right!

The party on Sunday was saved as daughter brought 3 plastic Disney princesses that was used at another party. Placed them on the cake and frosted around them, over the ruined pic. no one knew until we removed the figures.

TIA

Uh, oh! I am anxious to read what anyone says about this. I am doing my first one this weekend.

What recipe of buttercream did you use? In my experience the recipes that are best with it are the ones that use alot of butter.

That is really odd, I have done several FBCT's and have not had that problem. Not that I think it should matter, but what type of frosting do you use? I've never had one not firm up completely solid in the freezer and can only think that your frosting type might be the culprit.

I agree, it sounds like the frosting.

I used the recipe from CC for FBCT:

1 cup Crisco (Do not use high-ration shortening. You need a stiffer
consistency)
3 sticks butter (real butter, good quality)
2 Tsp flavoring (I use 1 Tsp clear vanilla, 1 Tsp butter flavoring)
2* pounds powdered sugar, sifted several times (I sift 5 times)

I used Land O'Lakes butter too! sifted the sugare 5 times (ICK!)
was the frosting too thin? How thick do you "paint" the picture - were my layers too thin? I hope to have time this weekend to try it again. I WANT to get it right.

thanks everyone for your ideas and tips - I need all the help I can get

I had that happen just ONE time, and I've done maybe 6 or 7 FBCT total so far. (I'm a newbie caker) I thought it was my frosting because I had tried to "tweek" it a little and it never crusted. So if figured it had to do with that.

Sorry that happened to you. Do you have time to try again? Don't give up, when it works right, it's so cool.

On my cake that it didn't turn out right, I ended up doing an imprint of the image on the cake and hand drawing it on.

I taped the image to waxed paper, laid the image on the frosted cake, and lightly traced the lines to the image with a flower nail. When I removed the paper there was a clear imprint of the image.

So to my understanding you used the one that is linked from the fbct article. Now that is really strange. I have never sifted mine 5 times but it is good measure that you do. How was the temp in your house? I know sometimes that makes a difference. Was it stiff? I usually use a #2 or 3 tip. I look at the underside of course to see if I have gotten in all corners and gently push it down to get rid of the lines. I also go back and put a thin layer of icing over it after it is all finished. I see that you put yours in the freezer after each section. I dont know if this is correct, but I don't when I have done them. Oh when you make your buttercream do you freeze the leftover? If you do make sure that you let it come to room temp without any microwave help. Of course I was running late and rushed the process and it was a disaster for me lol HTH

How slow did you pull the paper off? These things thaw really fast and if it starts to thaw while you area pulling the paper off it will stick.

I've always used an all crisco recipe, so I don't believe that all better is better than all crisco. I have had one stick before, it was made with soft icing (closer to thin cause I colored it red) and that one stuck. I chalk it up to the icing being too thin after I colored it.

I'm not sure what you mean by paint the layers? Did you not pipe them in??

I have done many FBCTs and I always use a half-butter/half-hi-ratio shortening mixture. Some peopel have had trouble with waxed paper and use parchment instead. I always use waxed, though. They do thaw very quickly. I place my FBCT on the cake, rub the waxed paper with my hands a few times to "warm" it up just a bit and then take off the waxed paper. I have had some sticking, but nothing that would destroy the FBCT. I make mine maybe a 1/4 inch thick. I also do mine on a piece of plexiglass rather than a cookie sheet. I tape my pic to the my counter and tape some waxed paper to a piece of plexiglass. I lay the plexiglass over the pic and start my transfer. With the plexiglass, you can pick it up often an peek underneath to make sure you haven't missed any spots, have any squiggly spots, or left any gaps between the outline and colouring in part. That's a big relief!

Kerry Kake: Great tutorial!! Loved the end where you showed how they looked on cakes, as well. Gave a real sense of what it is supposed to look like. Thanks for that!

Thank you to everyone! I'm convinced now that the icing was too thin and that I made the transfer too thin - not enough icing. I'm going to practice this weekend and see if I can get it right. The

The FBCT article was how I found CC. It sucked me in right away! Luv that technique. It's sometimes hit or miss with me ..... most of the time, they work like magic. One time, I just had this feeling and i was glad I made 3 of them ... used all 3 before I got a good one on the cake! (This one: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1359544 ) I've also had to go back in and fill in some spots before, too.

Thicker *IS* better, though I find it more difficult to make them thick when using an image with lots of small detail. Ironically, I think my best one was this finely detailed one and it didn't have a backing on it: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1290361 Held my breath the whole time!

I prefer parchment over wax and I freeze them at least overnight. As mentioned above, rubbing your hand over the back sometimes helps, and I've even done the transfer while sitting the cake in my freezer and working in there.

Dont' give up doing them, though! Folks luv the effect!

Great Maxine, Deb!! Love that...will have to use for a dear friend who LOVES Maxine!

Ah, see that makes it even better. I've come close to peeling one off while it was in the freezer. I actually stuck the whole cake in there then took it back out to peel. Gotta do what ya gotta do sometimes.

I have used the Sugarshack recipe with very good results, I also use Parchment paper instead of wax paper and it come off clean