Ok I have a question I need to make a sheet cake for my VERY first client who HATES fondant. She wants Toy Story theme ALL BUTTERCREAM. I have never tried the frozen buttercream transfer yet I have freehanded and piped transfers filling with stars. I dont like the look of stars for a client. Any tips or advice would be appreciated!!!

I've done a couple FBCT and it was so much easier than I thought it would be. Personally, I like making chocolate transfers even better, because the chocolate flows smoother. I just used the tutorial on Cake Central.

Frozen Buttercream Transfers are really easy. You may want to try a practice one first. There is a tutorial on CC
http://cakecentral.com/articles/73/how-to-create-a-frozen-buttercream-transfer
I don't smooth mine like the tutorial, I'm always afraid I will smear the design.

I have a few in my photos. Just think about your image and be careful of handling FBCTs with features sticking out. My Donald Duck lost his thumb and I had to put it back on

Good luck!

I have done a few can see them in my photo's, and it was alot of trial and error but I always trim everything in black and you really can't get overly detailed because it just doesn't come out very well. On the smaller lines I usually use a tip 3 but on the rest tip 5 for the out line. Other than that I would usually use a tip 10 or 12 to fill in depending of the size area you need to fill. As far as the black is concerned once I do all my out line I place it in the frezzer for about 1/2 hr. I also put the transfer on a cookie sheet or something that helps it stay cold for a little bit longer so I can fill a little longer. You may have to fill some and freeze and so forth until it completly filled in, place in freezer. Leave in the freezer for at least an a 1/2 hour and remove once again and fill the entire transfer with an even amount of BC and place back in freezer. I find if you rush it just defeats the purpose so give yourself time. Once the transfer is completely frozen place on the cake and slowly peel off the paper. Once that is on and you have no gaps (if gaps fill under FBCT with whatever color to make straight, (I usually do white or whatever color the base is) And my final touches I will put a small amount of same color BC on the transfer (say if it's a shirt than on the shirt) and smooth out to the edges, just gives a nice look to it and helps fill any crakes that may be in the icing. That's what I do... HTH Good luck and post picks

All of the transfer methods are easy and pretty much interchangeable. Even though I wrote the BC tutorial most people refer to, I like the BC glaze method best. But it's a one shot deal. If you are nervous - definitely do a transfer. You can fix those if something goes wrong.

You cannot freeze them too long. At least 1/2 hour - but longer is even better. And the more butter in the recipe the easier it peels.

No matter what type of transfer you do - detailed lines (such as Barbie eyes) are hard. With CTs I paint the eyes on after I flip it over. Cartoon eyes are fine with any of the transfers.

If you're using a picture from a book that may have writing, print it out in reverse image, otherwise it will be backwards when you're finished.

Use a piece of plexiglass with your picture underneath and waxed paper or parchment taped to the other side. You want to see the picture through it.

If you normally use an all shortening buttercream, use 1/2 butter for the transfer.

Use black icing, probably a tip 3 is fine and do the outline first. It will look betterin the end.

I never freeze mine in mid-fill. There's no need. Every so often hold up the plexiglass and look through it from the "right" side to make sure that there aren't any gaps. You can use a paint brush to fill it in with the existing buttercream if needed or just pipe in more. Make the image fairly thick.

When you're happy with what you have pipe a thick layer of buttercream that will be the same colour as the cak so that it blends when you put it on. Mine are usually about 1/4" or more thick.

Put it in the freezer for at least a 1/2 hour but longer is much better. Initially just put it in until hard. Then you can slip the whole thing into a freezer bag. This is the kind of thing you can do well in advance. I did a Max and Ruby (sorry forgot to take pictures) that I had in the freezer for a couple of months. Once it's frozen, gently remove them from the plexiglass and slip into freezer bags and put them into the freezer in a safe place.

When you're ready to use it, make sure your cake is iced and with a fairly thick layer of buttercream on top. Take your FBCT from the freezer and place it on the cake. Take off the waxed paper and leave it. It will start to defrost immediately and you won't be able to move it, so be sure it goes in the right place.

My Harry Potter cake was a frozen buttecream transfer.

I have done a few FBCT and they seem more intimidating than they really are. Just remember it is just frosting!!!

I have done a few FBCT and they seem more intimidating than they really are. Just remember it is just frosting!!!