How to Make a Buttercream Transfer

Making a buttercream transfer on a cake is just like coloring in a coloring book. When my niece turned 10, I baked her a cake and decorated it with a buttercream transfer of a Bratz doll. She loved it! Here's how to make your own buttercream transfer.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• buttercream icing
• food coloring
• piping bags
• small spatula
• picture of choice
• waxed paper
• clip board or a piece of cardboard

1. Before anything gets done, a picture must be chosen. Good sources for a picture are coloring books, children's books or if you are good at drawing then make your own drawing. Once the drawing has been chosen, we can proceed to the next step.

2. Place the drawing on a piece of cardboard or a clip board and then place the waxed paper over it. Tape the four corners in place so the papers do not move. Set aside.

3. Take the buttercream icing and divide it into several bowls. Add food coloring to each bowl to make the desired colors. Once the icings are ready, fill a pastry bag with each icing and set aside. For this a writing tip must be used. Zipper bags can be used in place of pastry bags, just cut the tip with scissors and you are ready.

4. Let's start with the transfer now. Take the cardboard with the drawing and start outlining the picture that was chosen with icing of choice. Usually black icing is used for the outline but, you can use whatever color you want.

5. When the outline has been done, start filling in the rest of the picture with the other icings until you are done. Do all the bigger spaces first and the smaller ones last. For the bigger spaces, cut the tip a little bigger. Remember this is just like coloring a picture.

6. When the picture has been finished take what ever icing you didn't finish and put it all on top of the iced picture. Do not worry, this side will be on the cake and will not be seen. Smooth the icing with a small spatula. Do not over do it though.

7. Take a cake that has been baked, cooled and frosted. Cut the tape off the cardboard and place the waxed paper with the icing onto the cake. Smooth it on with your hands and place the cake with the picture into the refrigerator for about an hour or two. If you can do this a day before it can be refrigerated overnight.

8. Once the cake has been cooled for a good amount of time, slowly peel away the waxed paper like you would peel the back of a sticker. If the icing is not sticking, place it back into the refrigerator and try again later.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results use a buttercream icing that is half butter and half shortening.
• The buttercream transfer can break if the icing is made of shortening only.