A bride sent me this pic from a magazine as one she likes for her wedding cake. I think the bottom tier is a double barrel yes? Looks to me like the cakes are fondant covered but are the stripes and scrolls (is that what you would call that?) hand painted, stenciled, what? I can't tell. On the bottom tier, how would you do the top part in black fondant and the bottom white fondant? Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks.

Yes, the bottom tier does look like a double. Like the middle tier in my avatar.

The bottom design is called Damask. Here's how I would do it:

Cover the tier with black fondant.
Print a damask pattern onto edible image.
Attach edible image to thinly rolled white fondant.
Wrap fondant around bottom tier.

Transfer sheets with patterns on them are available. I know Global Sugar Art has them. They may have a damask pattern transfer sheet.

the scrolls and stripes look stenciled on. As for the fondant, put white fondant on, then cut out a round template from the black and place on top with sides hanging over. The hard part about that is making sure the sides of the black fondant are even.

edited to add: From looking at the pic, it looks like the stencil is done first.

Thanks for your quick replies!

Would you call that damask? I found this damask edible imagine at GSA but it doesn't really look like the pattern on the cake.
http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=23225&name=Damask%20Black%20Designer%20Prints%20Edible%20Image

Do you think I could pipe it? Or would it look weird?
As far as wrapping fondant around bottom tier, how do you do it without stretching the image? And what do you do about the seam?

Also, I don't imagine the bride will want to pay for a double barrel bottom tier. Do you think the design would look okay on a regular 4-5 inch tall bottom tier?

If you pull up that magazine on Global Sugar Art, you can enlarge it and get a better view of the cake. It looks like the bottom tier was hand piped, maybe in royal icing. Then the black band around the top looks like it was done the way Tesso described...a round piece of black fondant was laid over the top of the tier, then trimmed evenly around the sides.

Good luck!

I think this design would be pretty even on a regular sized cake. I agree with much of what was said above. Cover the cake with white fondant. At that point stencil the damask image on
http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=22785&name=Damask%20Cake%20Five%20Tier%20Stencil%20Set%20by%20Designer%20Stencils
and then add the circle of black on top. I would suggest temporarily wrapping a ribbon around so when you place the black on top you have a guide to place it exactly straight. You can take the ribbon off after. Even a strip of parchment paper would work as a guide.

Damask were fabrics that were weaved in different patterns. Damask isn't necessarily one print but the style. It looks like this will be a print you will need to search. Google damask stencils there are tons of prints, another suggestion would be to get a copy of the magazine. They should have a description of their cover cake and hopefully who made it. That should give enough info to research and hopefully find the design. Good luck.

https://secure.lucks.com/bpcsom/nxcsc.nsf/ItemInformation?openagent&SID=98D40463817DD40988257736006E9F62&Item=45063&


wonder if you could get away with this edible image for the stripes?

I did this cake using an edible image (well 4 of them ) I covered the cake with fondant, then applied a tiny amount of piping gel and stuck the edible images on. the seams are on the corners, TG it blended in perfectly

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1319310

Eureka! I was at Joann today and found a piece of scrapbook paper that has a pattern that is very similar to the pattern on the bottom tier of the cake. Pic is attached. Not as good as a stencil or transfer sheet but at least it will give me something to look at while piping the design. I have a couple more questions regarding this cake if anyone can help.

1. I told the bride that I would be hand piping (in buttercream) the design on the bottom tier of the cake. I failed to point out, however, that black buttercream will turn the guests teeth black. Do you think I should point that out? I really don't have any other way to do the design at this point as i don't have a scrolly cutter thingy that I could use instead of piping.

2. The bottom tier is going to be an 8 inch cake stacked atop an 8 inch dummy. How do I go about doweling that? Does the dummy need dowels? Do I just dowel the 8 inch real cake to set the 6 inch one on top?
What about icing the dummy and the real cake? Shall I crumb coat them separately and then stack them together and put a final coat on? I'm not sure what the best way to go about icing a double barrel, one of which is a dummy.

Thanks for any advice!!

Um, eww. Black teeth. I dont know about telling her now. lol. I usually mention that first thing. If you mention that to her make sure you figure out an alternate way to do the design. Personally, I love the edible image idea. If it were me, Id probably do it that way. Id put the white fondant on first, then attach the image afterwards. Sometimes when I have someone print the image for me, its not dark, but I imagine you could paint over it if you had to. The other idea I like is the stencil. Ive never done a stencil though so I dont know how difficult that is. Piping it on is going to be difficult. I have a feeling it will be hard to make it look smooth and flawless like the photo. Its not exactly a thin and delicate design. Its big print, you know? Good luck hon! That is such a beautiful cake! I hope you find something that works for you!

if you look very closely at the side of the bottom tier, you can see that the black is raised. Maybe gumpaste?

The stripes can be airbrushed with minimal teeth blackening. To avoid having to handpipe the design directly onto the surface, the pieces can be made as transfers then attached.

You should definately mention the black teeth thing. If you tint the icing with a little cocoa and then color it black you won't need as much food coloring so it might not be as bad. Piping is one option but now that you have the design to trace it's fairly simple to make a stencil. I've made stencils for tuilles and it's pretty simular. At the dollar store they had these cutting boards that roll up that were made out of a flimsy plastic. Just trace the design out and cut out with an exacto knife. I woul ice the dummy and the cake seperately and then stack them and then cover in fondant. You shouldn't need to dowel the dummy but a long dowel through all the tiers might be a good idea.

with airbrushing, the color wouldn't be through the entirety of the buttercream and they can simply scrape off the black area (after a few people have sported blackened teeth :-0 )

if not, fondant for the striping.

I say get a stencil and hand paint the black design, using amerimist food coloring. would be so much easier.

I've done some RI transfers for cookies. Less complicated than for a rounded cake. One tip with those is to always make extras to allow for breakage.

And, the buttercream idea for a transfer is interesting. I've never done one - but, depending upon how it works, you could for sure have a nice flat pattern if you apply the upside to the cake. Leaving the side that set on the counter to be viewed on the cake sides. Does that make sense?

Super easy would be the edible image. I've tried those for cookies and they are quick and have a big impact. My little local cake shop will print out what ever I want on a regular page size for one price. If you have a supply store local, give 'em a call....

Good Luck!

all4cake- not in your area! I'm in MO. Poo! Perhaps the husband will buy me an airbrush for my upcoming birthday. So can I stick royal to buttercream? It won't melt or anything? Oh, what image program did you use to do that?

lizabu- I like calling that the do it yourself cricut! That's exactly what it is.

Oh and another question about stacking the real cake on top of the dummy. Should the real cake on its own cake board or can it just sit on the dummy? And do I cover the dummy in something before applying buttercream?

And thank you all for all of your ideas. I really appreciate all the insight!

it's a free downloadable program offered at paint.net. Yes, you can attach royal to buttercream. I would put the real cake on its' own board. You don't have to cover it with anything before applying the buttercream.

no airbrush? what about spray color? http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30CC9B-475A-BAC0-5F9882E09D5A7630&killnav=1

Forgot about the wilton color sprays. I have tried the black before though and found it not very dark. It was more of a gray. Has anyone else used it with different results?

Do you think a cake shop would print the image of the scrapbook paper if I scanned it? I don't even know if there is any place here that does that but I would be concerned because it is a copyrighted image.

I would copy it(it's a fairly common pattern), and take it your grocery store, my Albertsons does transfers for $6, check Wal Mart, ect. Make sure your copy is on card stock for best color, and it might come out slightly smaller on transfer, so adjust if needed.
HTH

Alright, I ordered the Modern Wedding Cakes magazine that had this cake on the cover from Global Sugar Art and it arrived yesterday. Unfortunately, there is NO description of the cake in the magazine! Figures. But I was able to find out the name of the (Australian) bakery that made the cake. They are called Sweet Art (www.sweetart.com.au). They do some seriously awesome cakes. Check it out. I sent them an e-mail regarding this cake so hopefully they will respond. I have pretty much settled on hand piping if I can (I am going to practice this weekend) or a buttercream transfer from the scrapbook paper I found. But now I'm just curious how they did it. I can tell from looking closely at the cover of the magazine the design is flat in most places (like it was painted) and then it has some raised areas that look like they were probably piped over with royal. Wish me luck!