Black Lace On Wedding Cake - Help Asap!!!!

Decorating By sleepy20520 Updated 13 Oct 2013 , 4:12pm by Debbie white

sleepy20520 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sleepy20520 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:00am
post #1 of 41

I have to make this wedding cake for this weekend and im not sure how the heck to make the black lace on top.  It looks like all piping but how do you getthe lines so straight?  Also some parts look like fondant?  like those star petal shaped things....

ANY advice would be awesome!

 

 

40 replies
DeliciousDesserts Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
DeliciousDesserts Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:04am
post #2 of 41

That's all piping...probably royal.  Practice.  Lots of practice.

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:11am
post #3 of 41

Gorgeous cake, please post a picture when you're done!

keepingitreal21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepingitreal21 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:11am
post #4 of 41

It could also be sugarveil. That's how I would accomplish the look, probably the easiest.

sleepy20520 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sleepy20520 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:29am
post #5 of 41

how do you use sugarveil?

melanie-1221 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
melanie-1221 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:38am
post #6 of 41

To do sugar veil you buy the molds and the sugar veil mix.

If you go to their site you will get a better idea of what it is. Might be to late for that option though if you have to make it this weekend unless you have a local vendor.  I agree that would be the easiest way to get that lace. 

 

In the picture though, I also agree that cake looks to be all piping. Some really , really good piping. 

I couldn't pull that one off if I tried, I imagine black icing isn't too forgiving.

sleepy20520 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sleepy20520 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:46am
post #7 of 41

ya i think its too late for sugarveil but good to  know for the future.....  guess i better start practicing my piping skills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

keepingitreal21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepingitreal21 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:52am
post #8 of 41
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleepy20520 

how do you use sugarveil?

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by melanie-1221 

To do sugar veil you buy the molds and the sugar veil mix.

If you go to their site you will get a better idea of what it is. Might be to late for that option though if you have to make it this weekend unless you have a local vendor.  I agree that would be the easiest way to get that lace. 

 

In the picture though, I also agree that cake looks to be all piping. Some really , really good piping. 

I couldn't pull that one off if I tried, I imagine black icing isn't too forgiving.

 http://sugarveil.com/ Here's the site, lots and lots of neat things there. However, I agree with Melanie, it would be too late for that option if you don't already own the system. As far as piping, you will have some sleepless nights to practice this before the weekend. Maybe you could use Colette Peters technique from craftsy.com and pipe the royal icing pieces ahead of time, then just place them on the cake. You will need to make lots of extras for breakage. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

AZCouture Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AZCouture Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:53am
post #9 of 41

Doubt that's sugarveil. Looks piped to me.

debidehm Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
debidehm Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 8:55am
post #10 of 41

This cake is due this weekend and you're just now going to practice??!! You have more guts than I have! If I got an order with a technique that I've never done, I would have started practicing the minute I got the order (if I even took the order in the first place)! Just don't drink a lot of coffee when doing it! I'm sure you'll do fine. It's a beautiful cake.

Babbo Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Babbo Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 9:08am
post #11 of 41

it looks lovely ;-)

cazza1 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cazza1 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 9:17am
post #12 of 41

I think that it is all hand piped.  If you look closely you can see that the gaps between some of the rows are not quite the same, which they would  have been if they had come out of a mould. Beautifully executed, though.

Be warned,  Do not buy the sugarveil stuff and expect to be able to use it professionally the next day.  As far as I am concerned it is not quite as easy as they make it look on the videos.  Same from another professional decorator that I know.  Like all good cake decorating techniques it needs some practice.  Can look beautiful when done properly.
 

Margaret393 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Margaret393 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 11:43am
post #13 of 41

I agree with cazza1  its all hand piped. If it were sugarveil, the pattern would be much more uniform. However the lace detail on this cake demonstrates good piping techniques and great talent!

 

I watched a demonstration on Sugarveil at a cake show in Cork last weekend. The results were fanstastic!!!  However the cost of some of the border molds would take your breath away - very expensive i. e. around  €80.00 for the larger ones! I am just a hobby cake decorator so declined to invest in one. Good professionals will invest in training for themselves and staff - when introducing new materials and equipment. Mistakes deplete profit margins! "PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT"

keepingitreal21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepingitreal21 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 11:47am
post #14 of 41

A

Original message sent by AZCouture

Doubt that's sugarveil. Looks piped to me.

Original message sent by cazza1

I think that it is all hand piped.  If you look closely you can see that the gaps between some of the rows are not quite the same, which they would  have been if they had come out of a mould. Beautifully executed, though. Be warned,  Do not buy the sugarveil stuff and expect to be able to use it professionally the next day.  As far as I am concerned it is not quite as easy as they make it look on the videos.  Same from another professional decorator that I know.  Like all good cake decorating techniques it needs some practice.  Can look beautiful when done properly.

 

I wasn't referring to using one of the molds. I was referring to using the surgarveil icing dispenser to pipe her own pattern. She would have had to hand pipe it all out like normal, resulting in spacing and flaws that let people know you're human and not a machine (a personal touch). However, it's piped out on a sheet to dry, then pulled up and put on the cake. But you're correct that all techniques, no matter how easy they make it look, take a lot of practice!

keepingitreal21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepingitreal21 Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:38pm
post #15 of 41

Just to be clear, I was merely offering her another suggestion as to how to achieve the look as asked. I would in no way take away from the original artist's talent for this gorgeous cake, which can be see here: http://www.cakecoquette.com/gallery/.

 

Either way, you may just have to tell the customer that you will not be able to give them the cake they deserve in the amount of time provide and offer another suggestion at a small discount.

 

As for straight lines if you have to pipe directly on the cake. You can use guides, such as lightly scoring your design on the cake. Just remember that when using black piping on a white cake, you will have to take extra care not to make large mistakes that will need to be move. Black stains quick and  is very unforgiving, it will show a major flaw if trying to move a line. Make sure you fondant is dry, no condensation, work in a cool place to keep down the humidity and use royal icing. If you make a mistake, let it dry before removing. You make be able to remove some of the black residue with a q-tip, clean small paint brush and grain alcohol or vodka. Again, good luck and happy caking. I really hope it turns out Great! Let us know.

DeliciousDesserts Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
DeliciousDesserts Posted 12 Mar 2013 , 12:57pm
post #16 of 41

A

Original message sent by remnant3333

. I could never pull that off either.

Yes you could. You said it yourself: practice, practice, practice!

Ducky316 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Ducky316 Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 6:51am
post #17 of 41

Probably not a good idea to take on a wedding cake like this when you are not at all familiar with the technique and are just now starting to practice... I would have attempted this technique before agreeing to take the order.

 

I suggest getting some lace doilies laminated, and trace your royal icing over the pattern. Good luck.

doramoreno62 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
doramoreno62 Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 8:32am
post #18 of 41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducky316 

Probably not a good idea to take on a wedding cake like this when you are not at all familiar with the technique and are just now starting to practice... I would have attempted this technique before agreeing to take the order.

 

I suggest getting some lace doilies laminated, and trace your royal icing over the pattern. Good luck.

I agree, not a good idea to have taken the order. But Ducky316, that is a great idea! Maybe print a lace pattern you can find online, put some waxed paper over it and trace it. Once dry put it on the top of the cake. You could probably freehand the side part directly on the cake. It's not alot of piping. Good luck!

kikiandkyle Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kikiandkyle Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 12:58pm
post #19 of 41

You might also browse some string work tutorials online, might be helpful for the straight lines. Good luck! 

-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 1:32pm
post #20 of 41

if you stand over the cake so your piping arm is free from your shoulder down

 

and you can basically swing your arm across the cake

 

but of course your elbow is at about a right angle--bent

 

you are just guiding the piping out not drawing the piping on

 

then you just scootch yourself over by degrees to get the different stripes of piping laid down one after the other--or move the cake around on the turntable

 

it's not wrist action it's pivoting your arm

 

if that makes any sense

-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 2:26pm
post #21 of 41
Quote:
Originally Posted by -K8memphis 

if you stand over the cake so your piping arm is free from your shoulder down

and you can basically swing your arm across the cake

but of course your elbow is at about a right angle--bent

you are just guiding the piping out not drawing the piping on

then you just scootch yourself over by degrees to get the different stripes of piping laid down one after the other--or move the cake around on the turntable

it's not wrist action it's pivoting your arm

if that makes any sense

 

 

but i mean you do stretch it a little--otherwise it will roll off

mallorymaid Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
mallorymaid Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 2:52pm
post #22 of 41

I would just pipe this on with black buttercream. I would pipe the design on the sides of the cake first, (to me it looks like it has been done with varied sizes of plain tips) figure out my spacing, if needed  you could draw out your design on parchment, cut it out and apply it to the base with the pin prick method. I would pipe out a centre circle for the "flower" shape then pipe teardrop shaped petals around it with an arched "vine"  coming out to the right and varied sized teardrop "leaves".  Once i have all of the side patterns done I would then go back and fill in with the lattice stringwork. K8memphis is right it is not so much wrist action in applying the straight lines as it is your arm movement, also have the icing tip up and away from the cake surface so the the icing falls and flows down to the surface and you then direct it with your arm movements, of course you would bring the tip down closer to cake as you come to the end of a line to finish and break it off from the tip. Hope some of this makes sense and as others have suggested practice to get the feel of the piping, amount of pressure needed, thickness of icing etc..

ddaigle Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
ddaigle Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 3:03pm
post #23 of 41

I have done that design more times than I can count.   I have, not, however had to go over the top to the sides...that is piping....and she's very good at it.   I use a #2 top for that "fishnet" design.   Your butter cream will need to be very soft..add some caro...to get it to drape over nicely without breaking the "string work".   Good luck. 

kisamarie Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kisamarie Posted 13 Mar 2013 , 10:09pm
post #24 of 41

I am doing a similar pattern on the 23rd and Ive been practicing my piping for a week for at least an hour a day!  Good luck to you, Please post pictures when it's done!

keepingitreal21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepingitreal21 Posted 15 Mar 2013 , 1:00pm
post #25 of 41

How is the cake coming along? Let us know.

doramoreno62 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
doramoreno62 Posted 21 Mar 2013 , 9:14am
post #26 of 41

Yes, I'd like to see a picture also please.

Ducky316 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Ducky316 Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 6:08pm
post #27 of 41

I was really hoping there was a picture here of the finished cake icon_sad.gif

sleepy20520 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sleepy20520 Posted 24 May 2013 , 6:00pm
post #28 of 41

hey everyone, i forgot to post this, but here is the finished product - i piped it all on :)  also i wanted to mention-for all the people who mentioned how much i should be practicing, this wasnt my first piping job as i do ALOT of wedding cakes 3-4 a weekend.  but this was one of my only black on white which is why i think i was so nervous and all the tiny lines.  it took quite awhile ( i think it was 3 hours of piping) but i think it turned out well :)

 

manddi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
manddi Posted 24 May 2013 , 6:37pm
post #29 of 41

AExcellent job! Beautiful cake!

kazita Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kazita Posted 24 May 2013 , 6:53pm
post #30 of 41

AWow very impressive absolutely just beautiful.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%