Hi all. I am fairly new to decorating and I really love the look of scrollwork on a cake. The problem is even writing with buttercream icing is difficult for me so I am pretty sure scrollwork might be near impossible. Is it possible to use royal icing for scrollwork on a buttercream cake? I've read some places that the moisture in the BC can break down the RI...any personal experiences with this?

If RI is a no, what suggestions do you have for using buttercream icing for scrollwork on a buttercream cake? Besides making the consistency thinner, is there any other way to make it easier?

PS - if anyone has examples of buttercream scrollwork on a BC cake, please share pictures if you don't mind!

Thanks.

Use the Wilton imprinters to get a basic scroll pattern on the side of the cake and pipe over the lines. As easy as paint-by-number. I always use bc.

Even though she said she didn't need them, I recently loaned my Wilton scroll imprinters to a friend. Her review: definitely a lot easier than doing it all by eye and hand!

use tip # 3 or 4, add alittle piping gel to either icing, dont put too much icing in the bag so you can keep good pressure on the bag of icing so it doesn;t break. Where you start the scroll the line will be thicker and where you end it will get thinner so start at the large end of the scroll and pipe to the tail end, if that makes sence. HTH.

Another way to add scrolls to a buttercream cake that you may like to try, it may be more work than you might want to do, first find a scroll pattern you like, print it out, take wax paper and tape it over pattern and pipe scroll with your choice of round tips. If the pattern is going on a round cake, tape pattern to same size cake dummy or can or round craft paper mache' box to dry. For a square or rectangle shaped cake just let it dry flat. I did this as an experiment on a dummy cake:
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1577248/1577250/redpink

and then I actually did this on my Aunt's cake (Too chicken to pipe with BC):
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1635143/margies-birthday

One day I will actually get the nerve up to piping a BC scroll cake, I have the Wilton scroll presses, just never use them to create patterns and pipe.

When you thin down your icing you'll notice more wavy lines in your scrolls - because of movement in your hands. I prefer thicker icing on fresh buttercream and put a folded up kitchen towel under one corner of the cake plate - which tilts the cake away from you ever so slightly - before starting to pipe.

It comes down to practice. First on a piece of waxed paper with your hand drawn or printed scrolls on paper under the wax paper and lay on your table. Practice on the flat until you are comfortable with the movement. Then pipe on the side of a cake pan and scrape it off and do it again etc. Or purchase a cake dummy that is smooth styrofoam and practice on the side of that until you are comfortable to do it on a cake.

After awhile you will get the feel for the consistency of the buttercream that you need for that kind of piping.

Good Luck.