How to make a Frozen Buttercream Transfer and a Batman Cake

I am quite so surprised that I have had so many request to make a tutorial on Frozen Buttercream transfer especially because I notice there are so many tutorials out there.

Before I started doing cakes professionally I did quite a few of these for the kids cakes in the family.

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of buttercream transfers. If given a choice I'd rather cut a shape out of sugar paste. Of course, if you do not have sugar paste on hand this is a great way to make an edible image for your cake.
You can do all sorts of things with this technique. Scenery, animals and castles or princesses for your cake.


So let's get started.

Get the image and set up ready 
First, get yourself a picture of the image in the size you want for your cake. In my case here it's a Batman image and my cake is 13 x 9 rectangular cake. 

Print a mirror image on a paper. So that when you place the image it will be the right side up.

Next trace the image's outline on a parchment paper which you can use to follow as a guide when piping.

If you have a sheet of glass would be great so you can see what is happening on the other side of design. In my case I do not have a sheet of glass so I just used the back of a tray.
You want to tape the image on the tray or glass.
Next, cut a piece of parchment paper approximately the same size of the image and tape that too. Parchment side up.
The purpose of taping it is to ensure the image does not move while you are filling in the colors. 

Next prepare the icing colors.

Buttercream - It is important that you use buttercream made with butter (at least half butter) - Veg shortening does not harden when chilled so it will be difficult to handle.
If necessary - just make a small batch of buttercream just for this purpose - 100 grams butter with 200 grams powder sugar and a few drops of vanilla will do the trick. 

Consistency - You want to make sure your buttercream is of soft peaks -Why?
You want the icing to be smooth on the reverse. If you icing is stiff it will hold the shape of the nozzle and not smooth out. So when you reverse the pattern you will see your design is made of small snails pattern. (I wish I could show you what I mean)

Temperature - Try to work in an air conditioned room so your icing won't go soft and melt while you are working on it. Working with soft icing can bleed colors too.
If necessary place the project in the fridge for a few minutes at intervals before you continue.

To begin. Start with an outline.
I use homemade black buttercream. I pipe the whole outline and then place it in the fridge before I continue to fill. This helps and does not make the colors bleed. 

Next, start with filling the colors.
Work in layers. What has to be visible on the other side has to be piped first. Can you see the blue lines that are on the cloak, they will be visible on the other side so they get piped first before I fill in the black cloak.

The second layer can over lap the first. So in this case I can cover the blue lines with the black cloak and it will not effect the design.

Here you can see all my colors are filled in. Tap the tray on the table a few times so the icing will settle giving you a smooth effect on the other side. Remember the design is on the reverse. 

Next - pipe a layer of icing the same color as the cake. This will help the design blend with the cake in the back ground though the image is slightly higher than the cake.
My cake is white / ivory so that's what I am piping here. (I ran out of white so I piped a little grey for the boots)
With a spatula or the back of your knife - ever so gently smooth the white.

Freeze your design / pattern

You need a minimum 60 to 90 minutes time in the freezer so the design will be easy to handle.
You could make this a few days, weeks a head of time and leave it in the freezer too.
Just place the piece of parchment with the design in a sealed box and use when you are ready.

Placing on the cake 
Remove from the tray and work quickly
Make sure you decide where you want to place it on the cake because once you place it on the cake, it is difficult to remove and change places as it will pick up icing from the cake.
Place the design parchment side up/ icing side down. 
Place your hand on the parchment and press down slightly on the cake so it will sit fixed onto the cake.
Next - slowly peal the parchment paper from the top.

And Voila! here you can see your design on the design
Finish your cake as you wish. 

 I highlighted the transfer by adding an extra white border around the cake.

That's my finished cake.. 

This is a two layer 13 x 9 " rectangular cake about 4" tall.
I think I'm a bit obsessed with cake heights. 

Well, I do hope you learned something from me today.
Until next time. Thanks for stopping by.