Hey, all! New to the forums here, so forgive me if this is a newbie question (I searched the forums for anything relating to my question, but didn't find anything.)

Does anyone have any experience with applying wafer paper onto black ABC? I've been approached about doing a gothic style wedding cake and my usual style is hand painted cakes. I've painted on cakes directly and have had great results, but I've also branched out into painting on wafer paper and applying it to cakes and have enjoyed the results as well. Especially since I find that I have more control painting on the wafer paper versus the vertical surface of a cake and can make more realistic looking florals. 

If I apply wafer paper to black buttercream, do I run the risk of some of the black food color leaching through the wafer paper? Would applying something to the back of the wafer paper help prevent any possible color transfer? 

My other idea was to paint on to thinly rolled white modeling chocolate and apply it to the sides as well, which would give it more of that collaged effect, but I haven't worked with modeling chocolate nearly as much and am not as confident in my skills working with it. 

I don't know for sure but I don't think it would -- you really need to test it out for yourself -- but if you can use black cocoa to make your buttercream I could say definitely not because the amount of black food color is greatly reduced -- plus the guests get all that black food color in their teeth and it's not a pretty thing at a wedding -- depending on how exactly goth they wanna go so the black cocoa is a great idea -- available on amazon --

also writing to say:

there is some kind of new member delay on being able to "reply" to posts so please start a new thread to continue any discussion -- at some point all of a sudden you will be enabled to "reply" but not for a while -- maybe like 30 days — I think it might have to do with time and activity levels -- please respond in a new thread if you want/need to —

best to you

My experiences w/wafer paper go back some 20 yrs so don't know if it has changed any.  I suggest placing the drawing/wafer paper onto a very thin backing of fondant.  Yes, the black will definately spoil your drawing.   Along w/what K8 said You can always try just smearing some blk b'cream on paper & applying a snippet of wafer paper to see who things go.  

I don't think wafer paper would work at all because of the moisture content in the buttercream.  It is my guess that the black would bleed all the way through the paper and completely obscure your painting.

Why not do your painting on white fondant.  Carefully cut out your picture and paint the cut edges of the fondant black so they blend in with the black buttercream.

Unless you use cocoa butter as your mixing medium, it is difficult to paint on modeling chocolate.  I prefer to paint with vodka as my mixing medium and it works beautifully on fondant.  Fondant will hold up well on the black buttercream.

................"If I apply wafer paper to black buttercream, do I run the risk of some of the black food color leaching through the wafer paper? Would applying something to the back of the wafer paper help prevent any possible color transfer? ......"
I have done some very minor painting on WP.  Yes, you will need to back it w/a very thin plaque of fondant or thinly rolled white modeling chocolate  as the color will  the black would bleed all the way through the paper and completely obscure your painting.  As I suggested before try it w/a small piece of WP on some blk b/cream.  

ok i'm a little confused -- it seems that glamourviking already does do this painting on wafer paper -- see the quote on post  #5 -- but just wants to know if the black will bleed through -- unless I am reading her post wrong --

K8 you have it right —  not confused:)  

thank you lynnie