Are Frozen Buttercream Transfers Hard?

Decorating By rkei Updated 20 Jul 2010 , 7:40pm by hollyml

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rkei Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 5:29pm
post #1 of 6

How hard are FCBT? I kinda wanted to try one for my little sisters birthday cake, but I DO NOT want to ruin it!

5 replies
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Kimmers971 Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 5:52pm
post #2 of 6

I've only done 1, but it wasn't too bad. I'm sure mine couldn've been smoother, but practice would help. I'm sure there are step-by-step directions on this site someplace. Have Fun icon_biggrin.gif

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LindaF144a Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 5:58pm
post #3 of 6

Why don't you try a little one and see? You can try the technique with canned frosting. It may not freeze for the transfer part, but you will at least know if you can trace the outline and stuff.

Then again it may freeze too. Try some hearts and stars.

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TexasSugar Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 7:20pm
post #4 of 6

I'd make up a batch of icing and try it out on something simple that you don't have to stress over. I have done tone of these and love using them.

The two biggest parts are getting the icing piped in smoothly with out the wormy look and getting the transfer on the cake and off the 'backing'.

There are many threads with various questions and answers about them.

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TandTHarrell Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 7:29pm
post #5 of 6

I love doing them. Make sure your icing is not thick. I also enjoy using Wilton tube icing, I always get great results. start with something easy with not a lot of details and give it a try.
LL
LL

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hollyml Posted 20 Jul 2010 , 7:40pm
post #6 of 6

I recently did one for the first time (I'd done a similar technique with candy melts before, but never the reverse transfer with BC) and it wasn't too hard! I mean, it didn't look like an expert did it, you know, there are things that I learned for next time. But it definitely wasn't a disaster -- it looked good enough to impress my friends. icon_smile.gif Pick a design that's not *too* complicated.

Worst that can happen, if it looks terrible, is you start over again! It's just a bunch of buttercream, and it freezes quickly enough that it's not a big deal to make another if you decide you don't like the first one. For that matter, depending on the design, if you really mess up a particular area, you can just scrape/wipe away the frosting and re-do that line or that section.

My favorite tip, that I found when looking at past threads here about it, is to use a transparent surface under your waxed paper, on top of the design you're transferring, instead of a regular cutting board with the design on top, so that you can lift it up while you're working on it and see the bottom (what will be the front/top when you flip it onto the cake). I used a clear plastic cake pan lid, which in retrospect maybe wasn't quite flat and level enough to be perfect, but it's what I had on hand and it worked well enough.

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