Cake Central › Tutorials › Covering a cake with an edible image

Covering a cake with an edible image

jayhawkcake
By: jayhawkcake
Posted 07/16/12 • Last updated 07/18/12 • 5040 views • 14 comments

Posted by jayhawkcake


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In this tutorial you will learn how to cover and entire cake in an edible image. This is especially handy for detailed patterns that aren't easy to recreate with fondant for buttercream. For example, the ACU pattern that is on my husbands Army uniform. It is very detailed and super hard to recreate.

List of Materials

  • frosted cake that has been smoothed, edible images, scissors, pan that you baked the cake in, cloth tape measurer

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Take your cake that has been frosted and smoothed.
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Measure the height of your cake. This measurement will tell us the height to cut the edible image.
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I measured the exact height of the cake and made a mark on the edible image. This lets me know where to cut across. Make several marks across the image and then cut.
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This is what I measured and cut out. The paper is still on the back of the edible image. You don't want to remove the paper backing until you are ready to apply it to the cake.
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Then I placed the pan that I baked the cake in, on top of the back of the edible image. Then I traced around it with a pencil.
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Cut out the circle, leaving the paper backing on the edible image.
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Place a small amount of water on the top of the cake. This will help the edible image adhere to the cake. Remove the paper backing on the edible image, then smooth image onto the top of the cake. You want it to completely cover the top and even go down the sides a little bit.
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Then starting in the back of the cake, apply a small amount of water to help adhere the image to the cake, take your rectangle edible image that we cut previously and remove the paper backing. Starting at the back you are going to apple the image to the cake, smoothing as you go. If it doesn't make it all the way around to the back of the cake where you started, you need another edible image at the exact same height to complete the process.
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Decorate as desired.
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Comments (14)

quietude 7/18/12 at 5:30pm
Thanks for this tutorial, and thanks to your husband for his service to our country!!!
superdupercakes 7/19/12 at 5:11am
I want to thank you for this and also for being there for our great country!
shannycakers 7/19/12 at 6:39am
thank you bunches!!!!!
dadobb2789 7/19/12 at 10:25am
Thanks for the tutorial and tell your hubby thanks for is service for keeping this country safe. Peace & blessing
cakelady1958 7/19/12 at 10:52am
Thank you and that's a very cool cake....
jayhawkcake 7/19/12 at 1:16pm
Thanks everyone! So glad you are all enjoying the tutorial! :)
CasperCakeCreations 7/19/12 at 1:36pm
Thank you for the tutorial. My son-in-law is in the Air Natioal Guard and is being deployed. I want to make him one for is deployment party. What did you use to copy the design onto the edible paper?
trixie05 7/19/12 at 2:08pm
How do you get the edible image off the backing paper? I have yet been able to do so, just getting torn pieces at a time. Thank you & thank your husband for his service.
EmmaHols 7/19/12 at 3:42pm
"...How do you get the edible image off the backing paper? I have yet been able to do so, just getting torn pieces at a time..." This happens to me when the paper has begun to dry out. I find keeping the edible paper sealed in airtight and light proof bags or containers it vital to keeping it flexible and not brittle. Inside a zip lock bag in a little cardboard box works well, leave it there until the last moment you need it. If that doesn't work maybe the paper you are using is too thin/poor quailty. I like the paper from icing images although it's more expensive. One more tip: if you are cutting shapes out sometimes it's easier to remove the backing paper first then cut with super dry hands (I wear gloves). Spreading a thin layer of chocolate over the back of small cut images also helps them remain perfect during construction. Good luck! Em
jayhawkcake 7/19/12 at 4:08pm
Hi Trixie05, I agree with EmmaHols. :) The only time I have had this issue was if the image was dry. CasperCakeCreations, I got a ACU (that is the name of the pattern) bandana at our local PX and used it in the printer. You can also use an old uniform, you just want to make sure you don't have something with a seam because the seem will be copied onto your image. I actually liked the seam/fold on some that I did. I felt like it added character. You can see the promotion cakes I have done on my Facebook page, they have a seam/fold if you look closely. I hope this helps! :)
mo845 7/20/12 at 5:36am
Thanks! I just bought an edible print system, so this comes just in time for me....
CasperCakeCreations 7/21/12 at 9:34pm
jayhawkcake, Thank you very much for the information, I can't wait to try my hand at this. Will you PM me your page name on Facebook? Thanks :)
jassira28 7/22/12 at 5:37am
I love it can we also do this over ganache or crusting buttercream? Also how were you able to bake such a tall cake in one pan?
Cake Central › Tutorials › Covering a cake with an edible image