I posted this in the How do I but I haven't had many replies, except for one. (Thanks fisher cakes). I would really like for someone to suggests tips I can use....
I am VERY new at cake decorating. I made an ice cream cake for my daughter's birthday cake. That was the first time I made a cake bigger than the regular round 9 in. cake. I'm glad it turned out ok. The decorating could have been nicer but since I made it whipped cream, it would melt pretty fast. I just piped a big flower and a butterfly since that was her theme. Anyways, everyone told me how great the cake was. My really good friend asked me if I could do the cake for her son's birthday party. I was surprised. I told her I was just starting out and that I wasn't good at decorating yet but she said she didn't care about the decorating, that they loved the cake itself.
So, the theme is giraffes. So I would like to pu a giraffe on the cake. I don't want to do a BCT because I have never experimented with BCT and I don't want this cake to be the ginnea pig. So, what do you gals suggest? I don't think I can draw a giraffe and I was wondering if I could trace? If so, how??? ALso, what tips would I use? Colors? I don't know if I can pull this off. I told her I would think about it. If I do the cake, I'm not charging. This will be my gift to the birthday boy.
Thanks,
Mary
If you go to the wilton site, and look up the instructions for the "Animal Cracker" pan. It shows a giraffe. You could probably do it using a regualar pan, and a little creativity.
http://www.wilton.com/cake/shapedpans/pdf%5C2105%2D4945AnimalCrackers%2Epdf
It's a PDF File, so it may take a while to load.
First, find yourself a picture. When I'm looking for something to put on a cake, simpler is better, so I search for coloring pages, e.g. giraffe coloring page.
For technique, I would try one of three things. The first 2 are from the Wilton site. For all 3, make sure your icing crusts first.
Transferring Your Pattern to Your Cake Using Piping Gel
1. Tape pattern to flat surface, such as back of a cookie sheet or counter top.
Smooth out all wrinkles, then trace pattern onto the waxed paper with a pencil or a non-toxic marker. (If you don't care that the image is reversed, you can skip the pencil part)
2. Ice cake and let icing set until it has a slight crust. Turn pattern on waxed paper upside down and outline pattern with piping gel on reverse side.
3. Carefully lay pattern on waxed paper (right side up) on cake. Gently press waxed paper until piping gel pattern changes from opaque to transparent.
4. To remove, lift pattern straight up. DO NOT PULL UP FROM END TO END, IT WILL CAUSE PATTERN TO SMEAR.
Transferring Your Pattern to Your Cake Using a Toothpick
1. Tape pattern to flat surface, such as back of a cookie sheet or counter top.
Smooth out all wrinkles, then trace pattern onto the waxed paper with a pencil or a non-toxic marker. To use pattern for figure piping or special techniques, trace pattern onto paper. Tape paper to a cake board or circle. Tightly cover board with waxed paper or plastic wrap. Hint: If board is sprayed very lightly with vegetable oil, decorations are easier to remove. Pipe in decoration and allow it to dry on board.
2. Ice cake and let icing set until it has a slight crust. Then position waxed paper pattern gently on top or side of cake and secure very lightly with sharp toothpicks.
3. Position sharp toothpicks along pattern lines to transfer a dotted outline of pattern onto cake.
4. Remove toothpicks and waxed paper pattern. Connect dots with icing outlines. Cover the shape with instructed decorations.
Using a Glue Gun
Same method as piping gel, but use a hot glue gun to trace the pattern instead of piping gel. Let cool completely before putting on cake. Instead of transferring the gel to the cake, this method makes an impression in the icing that you can then trace.
Here are a few coloring pages I found. You may want to change the spots on them, making them bigger. Not only would it be easier, but it's more accurate.
http://www.afunk.com/giraffe/
http://www.boowakwala.com/giraffe/giraffe-coloring-page.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/fun/color/giraffe.pdf
Good luck,
Ali
ps what part of Houston are you in?
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%