New Technique For Icing Sheets

I have been working with icing sheets lately and have been having great success with them. Icing Images has a new chocolate sheet that cuts very easily. As you can see in this example, the designs are very intricate.

Working with these icing sheets was quite easy. I did not remove the icing sheet from the backing sheet that the icing sheet came on. I used the Silhouette, so I had to trim about 3/4" from the edge of the icing sheet so the rollers on the Silhouette would not go over the icing sheet. Use an xacto knife and a ruler to measure the distance from the edge. Lightly score the icing sheet and pull the cut piece away. It is important that the rollers clear the icing sheet. I taped the icing sheet to the Silhouette carrier sheet and loaded it into the Silhouette. You need to do a practice cut to get the blade depth set. The knife needs to barely stick out of the end of the blade housing. In the controller window I found that using the cardstock paper as my paper type was a good weight to choose. When my design was finished being cut out, I removed the excess with a long quilt pin. A T pin or corsage pin will also work. I would slide the pin just under the icing sheet to loosen it from its backing page. I also used the pin to pick out the excess pieces in the center of the design. Carefully remove your cut design from the backing paper.

Attaching the designs to a cake can be done in several ways, depending on the type of cake you have. If you want to put the designs on a buttercream cake, you may want to chill the cake so the icing will firm up. I put my designs on the side of the cake and use my fondant smoother to apply a bit of pressure to the design. This will help the design stick to the cake and the side of the cake will stay smooth.

If you are attaching the designs to a fondant cake I would suggest you use shortening. If you apply water to the back of the design, it could smear color on the cake. Shortening will not do this. Use a soft brush and lightly brush some shortening where the design will go. Remove the design from the backing page and carefully put it on the cake. Use a small (about 3/4") clean, soft brush to brush over the design on the cake. This will help it stick to the side. When all the designs are on the side of the cake, work in the excess shortening with the soft brush. This will keep the cake from having shiny spots and have a consistent look.

You can also apply shortening to the back of the cut out design and then apply it to the cake. Use the small soft brush to brush over the design to help it stick to the cake.

If you need to reposition the design, carefully remove it and then put it in the correct spot.

Print and Cut Up-Date

Print and Cut is one of my favorite features of the Silhouette. The software program that comes with the Silhouette is excellent for this application. In the past I taught that the icing sheet needs to be removed from its baking paper and then applied to a piece of cardstock paper using shortening as an adhesive. This has worked well and was not to difficult to do. When I discovered that I could cut very intricate designs with the Icing Image sheets without removing them from the backing paper, I decided to try the same technique for print and cut.

I am showing this process step by step using the Silhouette Studio program.

Open the Silhouette Studio program. Make sure that LETTER and PORTRAIT are selected.

Open the window for the registration marks and make sure that SHOW REG MARKS is checked.

You will need to make some changes to the right and left registration marks. Change the setting to 0.800 for both the right and left setting.

Go to FILE and open up a folder with the image you would like to print. Select and import the image.

Trace the outline. Now put your icing sheet into the printer and print the design. You will need to remove a small amount of the icing sheet from each side. Be sure you do not cut into the registration marks. Lightly cut away 5/8" from each side. If your registration marks printed in the correct spot, then you will have only removed enough of the icing sheets to miss the rollers.

                        

Open the SILHOUETTE CUT SETTINGS window. Select PRINT PAPER-light, speed and thickness both set to 10 and make sure CARRIER SHEET is checked. When all of the setting are correct click on SEND TO SILHOUETTE.



Your image is printed so this option can be skipped.

Follow the instructions and click on CONTINUE.

Click on DETECT REGISTRATION MARKS.

Click on CUT PAGE and the Silhouette will cut out your image. If you have followed these steps, set the blade to the correct depth then you should get a good, clean cut.

Carefully peal away the excess. You can store your design on the backing paper, or carefully remove it to apply to your cake. Gently brush some shortening to the back to stick to the side of your cake.

I have found that when I use icing sheets from Icing Images I do not need to change the regestration marks or trim the sides of the icing sheet. The rollers will go over the edge of the icing sheet with no problems. The image cuts perfectly and can be applied directly to the cake with a small brushing of shortening on the back of the image.