Hello

I am looking at making a cake that has royal icing accents placed onto buttercream icing. I was thinking the last time I tried this the buttercream icing softened the royal icing accents, and they broke off or flopped off.

How do you do this successfully?

THanks!

You don't. At least, not anyone I know. The fat in buttercream will prevent your royal from setting up properly.

okay, well, thank you for responding!

ALL of the Wilton publications from 1970-1979 promote the use of dried royal icing decorations on buttercream cakes. Lace, flowers, piped figures, ColorFlow images...

I use royal icing for flowers all the time. After they have dried, I pipe spikes onto the backs of them so they spikes are what sticks into the buttercream. The decorations are added onsite and do not break down after 2 days of exposure in the fridge.

Moisture will break down royal icing. I'd worry about RI decorations on a cold cake that's allowed to come to room temperature as it may sweat from condensation.