How to Use and Store Edible Icing Images
Personalising baked goods is definitely easier with the help of edible icing images. Edible images can be used on cakes, cupcakes, cookies and even on macarons. What’s also great is that edible images are convenient, you just need to wait for the design to be printed and simply adhere the image to the cake surface.
There is no need to worry about the edible image altering the cake’s taste because these typically only have a tiny amount of sugary flavour. Edible icing images are printed with food grade edible ink, which is completely safe to eat. Because they are printed, assorted design elements can be utilised – such as edible letters or numbers, shapes, and images. You can also share a special, captured moment by placing a photo on the cake.
Once you’ve received your edible images, printed on the edible icing sheets, some of you may find it very hard to place them on your cakes or cookies. It usually happens, when it’s your first experience with the edible icing sheets, but also experienced bakers can struggle with it, as every brand edible images act very differently, and need different approach.
How to Store the Edible Images
The most important thing to remember, is to keep your edible image in the air tight bag until ready to use. You would need to keep the edible images at room temperature. Do NOT store them in the fridge. It is also just important to remember that edible images, don’t like water.
Do not let water come in to contact with the edible images before or after they’ve been applied to your baked goods. The icing sheet will simply melt and ruin the image. Also, if they come in contact with water before you’ve been able to remove them from the backing sheet, you will ruin every chance to get it off from the sheet. Keep your edible icing image flat and don’t put anything on top of it.
Keep it out of direct sunlight or the colours may fade. The edible images stay edible for several months, but we recommend that you use them within two weeks for the picture to stay sharp.
Preparation of the Baked Goods
You can definitely use edible images without any icing under them, but we don’t really recommend doing so. Since edible icing images are very thin sheets of icing, unless your prepared bakings are completely smooth, they will show every bump and lump you have on your cakes or cookies.
You can use pretty much any kind of icing to apply the edible images on – buttercream, store bought frosting, icings, fondant, royal icing, just to name a few. For the cookies, the most common options are royal icing and fondant. If using royal icing, you need to make sure, that it is completely dry, before starting to apply the edible images.
When using fondant as your icing option, you need to “glue” it to your cookies, to make sure it’s firmly attached to them and the fondant discs won’t slide off. We’ve used Vizyon Neutral Cold Glaze, it tastes nice, and has perfect texture to glue the fondant discs on.
If you’re using frosting that is very soft and wet, like whipped cream or cream cheese, we would recommend using fondant plaque under the edible icing images. This should be about the same size and shape as the edible image is. Place the topper on the plaque first, then put this on your cake top. Otherwise you should apply it just before serving the cake, before the photo has time to absorb the moisture. The icing on your cake or cupcakes can be any colour, but as the edible image is made from very thin icing, dark colours like milk chocolate may not always be suitable, when your edible image has white background.
How to Remove the Edible Images From the Backing Sheet
We use and sell Kopykake pre-cut edible icing images, which will make your life so much easier, as you don’t have to cut the images out yourself. The end result looks more professional and neat. Since they are pre-cut, it means that their edges are pressed on to the backing sheet, and they can be bit tricky to remove, unless you know how to do it properly, in which case, it takes no time at all. Keep your edible topper in its plastic bag until you are ready to use it.
Take it out of the bag about 20 minutes before applying it to the cake to allow time for it to dry out slightly. This will make it easier to peel from the backing sheet. The icing sheet should peel off easily - DO NOT FORCE IT! If it is sticking to the backing sheet, this is probably due to the temperature and humidity in the room.
If the image does not release from the backing sheet, place the edible image sheet in the freezer (not fridge), for about 15-30 seconds, making sure, you won’t get any water on them, while doing so.
Since every freezer works on different temperature, you may want to leave them in there for a bit longer. They are ready to come out, when the edible image has turned into solid disc and isn’t soft anymore. We usually cut up the whole sheet and work with 5-6 images at the time, to make sure we have enough time to release all of them, once they come out of the freezer.
You won’t have much time, since they will defrost super quickly, and will get soft again, in which case you would need to repeat the steps again.
When you take your edible icing solid discs out of the freezer, bend the baking sheet and the edible image should release (flick) from the backing sheet immediately. Gently remove the edible image - do not pull hard on the sheet as they are a very delicate and could rip.
Once you’ve removed the edible images from the backing sheet, you are not in a rush anymore, and can take your time, placing them on your bakings. You can even use sheet of baking paper, and place all your released edible images on it, and then when all the images are off from the baking sheet, you can start applying them on your cookies or cakes.
How to Apply Edible Images
As mentioned earlier, make sure that your cake, cupcake, or cookie has an even and flat surface so that the edible image can be placed properly, as you only get one go. When applying edible images to fondant, you need to make sure your fondant is damp, so the edible image will stick to it. You can use small amount of water (no puddles) on the area prior to placing the edible image to ensure it adheres properly.
We prefer to use rose spirit instead of water, it dries much faster than water, and you have less chance to ruin your images. You also shouldn’t be concerned about the alcohol content, if baking for kids, as the alcohol will evaporate making it completely safe for the kiddies as well.
Once you have your fondant ready, start applying the images. Start from the middle part of the image and use your palm of the hand to smooth out the edges. The edible image will not blend into the fondant as with frostings and it is totally touchable.
Prevent bubbling or wrinkling of the image by patting it with the fingers. If using frosting or buttercream under the edible images you need to be more careful with touching it. Once the edible image has been on the cake for about 5 minutes, it will begin to blend with the frosting. Do NOT touch the image, as it will leave a visible fingerprint just like frosting does when touched.
How do I Store Decorated Baked Goods Cakes
Unused edible images need to be placed in a sealed bag and kept in a cool, dry place, not in the fridge. However, some of the decorated cakes need to be refrigerated. Because of this, keeping edible images on cakes can be challenging, and ideally you should apply them as close to the eating as possible. This however is not always possible. Storage of cakes with edible toppers largely depends on various factors like the material of the edible image, the cake icing, and humidity. Cakes decorated with edible cake toppers can definitely be refrigerated, but the image may or may not be discoloured afterwards. Only the edible image colour quality is affected though, because they are still safe to eat even when refrigerated.
Cookies
You do not want to place your baked and decorated cookies in the fridge. Ideally you should use plastic bags that are sealed air tight, to keep the cookies fresh longer. This also will help with your edible images, as they will not dry out and will stay glued to the cookies. If you do not have any cookies bags in hand, use specially designed cookie boxes to store and display your amazing creations.
We hope that these little tips and instructions have shed some light on how to handle our/your edible icing images. They are all tried and tested and will definitely work. If you have any further questions do not hesitate to ask us, we are always happy to help!
