Edible paper/transfers for fondant

[chefette]

None of this is to dispagage use of edible paper transfer sheets.

I think they are pretty cool and would like to try them myself.

[chefpeon]

What a quandary!

I'm sure this will start a trend that won't go away.

Should I spend the money for the technology and utilize it, speculating that brides will request it?

Or just say, "I don't do that", or

just do everything by hand (like I usually do) and charge appropriately?

It's not just a financial quandary, but an artistic quandary.

I'm proud of my handwork and always thought it gave me "an edge".

But if less skilled people can now come up with eye popping designs with the click of a mouse, I feel like my personal value is depreciated. People won't spend more money if they don't have to....that's just a fact of life.

The technique of it and relative ease of use is kinda cool.....but a little disappointing to me

nonetheless.......

[chefette]

bingo!

[JSkilling]

I guess I just see it as yet another tool in your arsenal not a replacement of what you did before or a devaluation of any skill since these still require a good bit of skill to produce - I don't think many will tackle these in "kit" form. You still have to do something no matter what you choose so you are still charging for your own design time and labor. Even if you can click and get a striped pattern onto the transfer sheets, you still have to make it all work. The skill set is just transferred to what you can do on a computer vs what you can do by hand. Personally, I'd take the computer generated stripes over the hand rolled ones any day. I think they have that mod impact and and the look of perfection. But even in my inexperience I realize that I'd still have to deal with getting that frickin fondant on my cake perfectly. Not an easy task and I'll charge for it.

What I love especially about the use of any of these is the layering of the different techniques to get depth and dimension on the cake - true little works of art. I think the same appreciation of the artist's worth and time applies to this conversation as it does in the chocolate thread - this much work whether by hand or computer is expensive and getting the general population to realize that is difficult. As these designs start to show up in Bride's Magazine it will be interesting to see how the trends change.

Colleen, thanks for posting that cake since it shows me how I'd be able to curve around the outside of a round instead of using the flat edge of a hexagon. I'm intrigued by what I can do....

[chefette]

I really love those rolled in stripes - they are so vivid and exciting - just fun.

[chefpeon]

I guess I just see it as yet another tool in your arsenal not a replacement of what you did before or a devaluation of any skill since these still require a good bit of skill to produce - I don't think many will tackle these in "kit" form. You still have to do something no matter what you choose so you are still charging for your own design time and labor. Even if you can click and get a striped pattern onto the transfer sheets, you still have to make it all work.

I can't disagree with you there. If I were still at the wedding cake shop where we did 20+ wedding cakes nearly every summer weekend, and catered to brides who were very concerned with was what was hot and what was not (which is dictated largely by bride's magazines and the like), then investing in a printer and some frosting sheets would be a no-brainer.

But now, I'm just an independent artist/baker who doesn't crank out cakes like a stressed out robot anymore. I do the cakes I want to do, and refer the cakes that I don't want to do to other folks in the business. I still want to do cakes, now, just on my terms. Not everyone has that luxury....I'm grateful.

I also live in a small town that doesn't really support the "big money" stuff. People may WANT my stuff, but they can't afford it. So if I really want to do something, and I'm inspired enough, a lot of people get my stuff for free. Crazy, huh?

Anyway, that's not really the point......the point is, now that I'm "small-time", investing in a fancy schmancy system would be hella fun, but maybe not so financially responsible....especially since the odds of getting a bride that wanted something done in that technique are small, and if I do get them they are few and far between. I have found that the farther you get away from larger metropolitan areas, people seem less concerned with "trends". They just want what they want. I kind of like that, actually.

I love new tools and toys.....I'd like to have EVERYTHING!! But I can't afford everything, so I have to pick and choose and make do most of the time. I also realize that having the tools and being able to use them effectively, are two different things. As a part time computer-geek, mastering printing and using the frosting sheets is also a no-brainer. It's just a matter of, "can I justify the expense?" At this point, the answer, sadly, is "no."

[JSkilling]

Since I'm just going to be a small time take the cakes that I want as well I likely won't get one of these printers soon, though they are not that expensive. I need an airbrush first! And lace stuff, and cutters, and, and, and.....

I'm glad to live 5 mintues from DC in a large area with disposible income! I know for sure I couldn't get into this in a smaller area that doesn't support the costs associated with high end goods. Still I know it's going to be a tough market. Which is my next post.... What the heck do I do next?????

[chefette]

start another thread about how one starts a small time business doing expensive cakes that totally get me pysched!

[JSkilling]

start another thread about how one starts a small time business doing expensive cakes that totally get me pysched!

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Oh, my now I'm afraid to because I hear evil laughter in the background.....

[simdelish]

It's not just a financial quandary, but an artistic quandary.

I'm proud of my handwork and always thought it gave me "an edge".

But if less skilled people can now come up with eye popping designs with the click of a mouse, I feel like my personal value is depreciated. People won't spend more money if they don't have to....that's just a fact of life.

The technique of it and relative ease of use is kinda cool.....but a little disappointing to me

nonetheless.......

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That's exactly what I thought as I looked closely at those pictures. I always felt that's why people came to me, precisely because I not only make great (tasting) cakes, but had the creativity, artistry and ability to hand paint, applique, creatively pipe, or whatever. Hand painting was always one of my specialties, and one that commanded, of course, a higher price.

I kinda like the rolled in stripes better, they can be bold or pastel. I like the perfection of the paper stripes, but they overall look too perfect, and therefore 'fake' to me, so I personally have a tendency to like something that really shows 'talent' like the rolled in ones.

I don't think you can really charge considerably less for one of these transfer cakes, however. If you can do something faster, then, by all means, good for you. I look at it similarly to any other decorating technique. Some people can freehand (like me) fast, and successfully, and it is beautiful. Other people may be able to achieve the same effect in the end (maybe they are trying to copy another cake), but it takes them 3 times longer, because they measure, stencil outlines, stew over it, etc. It's all in how you work.

Question: was that yellow cake with green leaves, and blue & white flowers... was it a yellow fondant, with the white painted on (maybe royal brush embroidered?), or was the cake white originally, and the yellow, green and blue added. (Blue painted over yellow would make green... that's why I ask). Hard to tell from the picture.

[chefette]

The fondant is definitely yellow - it looks like they painted on the white first then did the blue.

Now now J - get that thread started - the sooner you start the thread... the sooner you will be prepared to get started on the caking and the baking - bringin home the bakin

[Wendy DeBord]

I would not equate any of this to the Giant cakes which just take a sheet of edible design and put it on top of the cake and pipe a shell border around the top.  That is where I think Wendy is talking about a busy production shop making use of edible transfers.

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No matter whom or how they are using them, if they do it well, theres a place for it in my opinion.

[alligande]

My 2 cents, I really dont think the images replace artistic talent, just add a diffrent technique. To use them creatively still requires those artistic skills. Photo images have been around for a bit, but now we are seeing really intresting uses for them, It takes creatitivty to get from supermarket picture cake to some of the uses seen in the these pictures. Bottom line I think there is plenty of room for all the techniques disscussed as each provides its own look.

As for cost, you can get started for under $200.00 one dedicated canon printer plus ink and paper.

[JacqueOH]

I just typed out this long-winded response on a cake board I visit so I thought I'd cut and paste here. I haven't used edible images with fondant, but it sounds like it certainly is possible.

I just bought a Canon IP3000 (as a backup) from www.newegg.com for $65, and they have a $20 rebate and free shipping so that makes it $45 in the end. I'm not sure if they still have the special, but this is the second time I've heard of them having this type of sale. If you're patient and watch for sales, you can find these printers relatively cheap. This Canon model doesn't do the larger sheets, just 8.5x11.

The edible ink cartridges are around $50 (I got mine for 25% off at www.sweetart.com - they also have free shipping on your first order)

The edible image paper will run about $27 for a 24-pack of sheets. I haven't really seen it for less, although I'd sure like to hear about it if anyone else has.

Some folks get the cleaner cartridges, which I think are around $50 (not sure though), but these are optional. I don't have any and have never had any problems with plugging (knock on wood), but I know there are people that swear by them. If you use your machine often enough I don't think it's an issue. If you don't have any need for edible images, you can still print out a test sheet once a week on regular paper to keep the cartridges running.

My point in typing this is to say that you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get rolling with edible images. Oh, and if you use wafer paper, the paper is relatively cheap, if you want to do butterflies and the like.

Using edible images is a nice way to put out a decent cake when you're pressed for time, when you're tired, burned out ,or whatever. In addition, I've made a ton of cookies using edible images for a local car dealership and that's probably paid for my system 5 times over.

Here's a quickie cake I did using edible images...

edited to add photo

Edited May 30, 2005 by JacqueOH (log)