Brush Embroidery

Try this! It is super easy and very impressive!

Notes:
"Setup" refers to doing this in class, not on a real cake. So ignore that part once you practice.
"Decorator Icing", is Royal Icing, or that containing no shortening. There is a recipe HERE.
A "T-pin" is a pin with a straight line across the top instead of a head.
Use simple patterns - easiest.
Great on sides of cakes.
Can be done on buttercream or fondant iced cakes.
To transfer pattern to cake, hold attern against cake and punch holes onto icing. Or refer to my stencil method.

MORE:
Brush Techniques

Make a flower pattern using a gum paste flower cutter, then outline one area at a time with thin consistency buttercream icing.

Before each outline can dry, immediately brush out lines of icing towards center of pattern area using a dampened decorator brush. Work in short, quick strokes.

Clean brush in water after brushing each flower, to create distinct lines of icing. Gentle brushstrokes of icing, piped directly on your cake, set a soft, romantic tone for wedding and anniversary cakes. Be sure to brush the design immediately after piping your outlines—the technique won't work on dry icing.

Square Tip Brush Set: #A555/81-505/LJ900/81-505
Use the square tip brush for lace-look brush embroidery. Draw design with Icing Writer, then pull outlines toward center with brush.

LOVE IS....

	You will need: . firm type cake or fruit cake - 230x180cm (9x7in) cake board 305x255cm (12x10in or close as possible) almond paste 900g (2lb) rolled fondant icing red 1kg (2.25lb) rolled fondant icing 55g (2 oz) gumpaste 55g (2 oz) royal icing 225g (8oz) piping jelly 1 teaspoon piping bags piping tubes nos.1 & 2 paste colors green and yellow Pattern transfer instructions ribbon red 1.5mx3mm (1.5ydsx5.75in) ribbon green 1.5mx3mm (1.5ydsx5.75in) ribbon white 1.5mx3mm (1.5ydsx5.75in) sharp knife paint brushes rolling pin straight frill cutter (#149P FMM)	Love is... by Janice Cook . Brush embroidered flowers and a lace edged heart are combined within a frame on this striking red cake. The design is equally suited to an anniversary, an engagement or for your special Valentine. Preperation Prepare white frills. . Cover the cake with almond paste and leave to dry. . Cover the cake and the board with red sugarpaste, the surface must not have the opportunity to set before transferring picture onto icing. . Transfer pattern to cake (see 'pattern transfer-left). Brush embroider pattern as shown. Add white frills. . Trim the edge of the board with red ribbon to match.
click for large pattern

Another cake idea

Spring flutters in with butterflies and flowers

Back to Lessons
Feb 09 by Katherine Martin

This decorative cake design will brighten any spring display. Its pastel color scheme is ideal for the season.

Edible Pearls
Brushes
Icing
edible butterflies
Food colorings
Nothing says spring like flowers and butterflies. This cake's emphasis on pastel colors makes it a perfect component to a variety of spring displays. The attention to detail, such as pearlescent airbrush color, fondant pearls and sparkly butterflies, helps make this cake stand out from other designs. It is sure to attract customer attention and garner sales.

1. Ice an 8-in. double layer round cake with white icing. Use a cut paper tube to pipe the outline of a yellow flower. Then, take a paintbrush to pull wisps of icing in towards the center of the flower to fill the petals with color.
2. Opposite the yellow flower, use the same technique to create a pink flower. Then, pipe blue and purple flowers opposite each other.

3. Around each of the original four flowers, pipe flowers of the other three colors to create four multi-colored bouquets of four flowers.
4. At the base of the cake, use a cut paper tube to pipe the border. Begin by piping a “C” and a backward “C.”

5. Then, use a back and forth motion to accent the ends of the “C”s.
6. Starting from the base of the “C”s, pipe an elongated curve that curves away from the “C.”

7. In the center above the design, pipe a teardrop.
8. Then, slightly below and to each side of the center teardrop, pipe another two teardrops to finish the fleur de lis-style decoration.

9. Pipe another identical green fleur de lis about an inch from the original. Connect the two fleur de lis by piping two sideways “C”s. Continue this pattern around the bottom edge of the cake.
10 . Using a back and forth motion and the cut paper tube, pipe several scallops on the cake board. Make each scallop half the size of a fleur de lis.

11. Add several scrolls to the top of the cake using the cut paper tube and green icing.
12. Continue the scroll designs down the side of the cake and around the bouquets of flowers.

13. Airbrush the entire cake with a pearlescent color.
14. Place fondant pearls in the center of each flower. Also, place pearls at the bottom center of each fleur de lis around the base of the cake.

15. Finish the design by adding Novelty butterflies or edible butterflies, to the cake. Coordinate the colors of the flowers with the colors of the butterflies that are available from suppliers.

Phuong Truong, has been decorating cakes for Ambrosia Bakery for eight years. She started at the bakery stacking and icing cakes and had no decorating experience. After watching decorators at work, she decided to try her hand and has been decorating ever since. She received her Certified Decorator certificate last year. She entered the Retail Bakers of America's 2008 Creative Decorating Competition, her first competition ever, and was named Pillsbury Grand Champion.

1. Ice an 8-in. double layer round cake with white icing. Use a cut paper tube to pipe the outline of a yellow flower. Then, take a paintbrush to pull wisps of icing in towards the center of the flower to fill the petals with color.	2. Opposite the yellow flower, use the same technique to create a pink flower. Then, pipe blue and purple flowers opposite each other.
3. Around each of the original four flowers, pipe flowers of the other three colors to create four multi-colored bouquets of four flowers.	4. At the base of the cake, use a cut paper tube to pipe the border. Begin by piping a “C” and a backward “C.”
5. Then, use a back and forth motion to accent the ends of the “C”s.	6. Starting from the base of the “C”s, pipe an elongated curve that curves away from the “C.”
7. In the center above the design, pipe a teardrop.	8. Then, slightly below and to each side of the center teardrop, pipe another two teardrops to finish the fleur de lis-style decoration.
9. Pipe another identical green fleur de lis about an inch from the original. Connect the two fleur de lis by piping two sideways “C”s. Continue this pattern around the bottom edge of the cake.	10 . Using a back and forth motion and the cut paper tube, pipe several scallops on the cake board. Make each scallop half the size of a fleur de lis.
11. Add several scrolls to the top of the cake using the cut paper tube and green icing.	12. Continue the scroll designs down the side of the cake and around the bouquets of flowers.
13. Airbrush the entire cake with a pearlescent color.	14. Place fondant pearls in the center of each flower. Also, place pearls at the bottom center of each fleur de lis around the base of the cake.