Thank you for purchasing cake templates designed by: Please do not copy, reproduce or distribute this document without permission from Jessica Harris. Thank you for protecting my time and designs. For more designs and inspiration, visit me at: http://www.jessicaharriscakedesign.com Best wishes on your next cake project!!
Extra Large Polka Dots Note: Illustration above shows a 8 x4 cake, a 6 x6 cake and a 4 x4 cake. This template/tutorial does not include instructions for flower or horizontal striped bottom tier.
Each template has been created to scale in order for you to cut out your designs with the designated cutters and place them over your template to perfectly line up your design before transferring it to your cake. This design technique is based on the Wax Paper Transfer Method that I developed for transferring any graphic design onto your cake precisely and easily. If you haven t heard of this technique before, I strongly encourage you to take my first Craftsyclass, Clean & Simple Cake Design as I walk through how to use it. Here is a 50% off link to purchase that class: http://www.craftsy.com/cakedesign Steps to creating the design you ve purchased. 1. Print the attached template to scale. Make sure in your printer settings you have Print Actual Size (or something like that) selected. If your printer uses a different size paper than 8.5x11, you ll need to crop the paper, but not shrink the design. You just don t want your printer to reduce the image size thereby not giving you a template that is truly to scale. After you print it, use a ruler to check the scale using the dimensions on the template. 2. Cut out all the designs you will need from fondant, modeling chocolate or gumpaste whichever medium you enjoy working with. Based on the template, you can easily figure out how many of each design and of each color you will need. Remember to figure out the total circumference of your cake, you need to take the final diameter (after fondant and decorations) and multiply it by 3.14. This way you will know the total distance you will be covering and how many panels of designs you will need. It s important to cut out your designs first and let them rest a bit before transferring them to your wax paper. You may also paint them with luster finishes or powder colors before placing them on your wax paper. Just make sure they are dried first. I recommend cutting out your designs and letting them rest at least 30 minutes before you will need them. Be careful though depending upon your climate and the medium you are using, they might dry faster than that. You want the decorations to be stable, but also able to bend around your cake if you are using a round cake. So, be aware of your dry times and plan accordingly. 3. Once all your pieces are cut out, tape the template you ve printed to your work surface. Then, tape a piece of wax paper (or cellophane) over the paper making sure to line the straight side of the wax paper (the factory side of the roll that is straight not the side you tear off) with the bottom line of the template. This ensures the design will transfer straight onto your cake. Now, grease the wax paper with a very light coat of shortening.
Steps to use your design templates (continued): 4. Once your wax paper is greased and secure, begin placing your cut designs face down on the wax paper, lining them up with the template. It s important they are face down as that will be the front of your cake. 5. If any designs cross the top or bottom line, trim them with a straight edge along the line. 6. After you ve placed your single panel of designs, use a little sugar water, water or Tylose glue (whatever you re comfortable with) to lightly coat the back of the designs. 7. Un-tape the wax paper from your work surface and admire the cute little sticker you ve just created!! Now the fun part! 8. Grab your fondant covered cake (or chilled buttercream cake that has rested outside the fridge for about 5 minutes) and turn the wax paper design around so the bottom of the wax paper design is close the bottom of the cake. Now, flip up the design, keeping the bottom of the wax paper design flush against the work surface and begin wrapping it around your cake starting in the middle, and working left and then right (or right and then left whatever your heart s desire). Once the design is attached, use a fondant smoother to lightly go over the design to make sure all the pieces are attached. If you are working with small pieces, you can let it sit on your cake a few minutes. Be careful not to push too firmly as it will distort your decorations. 9. After you feel brave enough, begin on one side and start to peel the wax paper from your cake. Go slowly and watch each piece stick to your cake. If they are not wanting to come off, dab a little more sugar water on the cake and try re-attaching the piece. Continue to peel off the wax paper revealing your perfectly placed design Ahhhh! 10. At this point you can adjust any small pieces that might have moved and wipe off any excess shortening that is on your cake with a tissue, brush, your finger or paper towel. When you re finished adjusting the panel you just attached, grab your wax paper, re-tape it back over your template and begin again until you ve paneled your design all the way around your cake! Voila!
A few things to note: 1. You may use baking/parchment paper for this technique, however it is thicker and will only work for smaller panel projects. I prefer to use wax paper or cellophane. You can find wax paper in most American style grocery stores and in the aisle with the sandwich paper/wrap. 2. Use a real thin coating of shortening on your wax paper. If you get it too heavy with it, you might have a hard time getting your designs to peel off. 3. When rolling out your medium to cut your designs from, use a very thin setting on your pasta machine or use rolling pin spacers and make sure your medium is rolled nice and thin. The thicker your medium, the heavier it is on your wax paper and the greater the chance it will fall off and/or be hard to handle. I like to use a #3 or #4 setting on my pasta machine (depending on the medium I m using) or roll it to at least 1/16 (25mm). 4. Yes, you may use this technique on fondant covered cakes, ganache or buttercream crumb coated cakes. If using buttercream cakes, make sure it s a butter based buttercream that sets firm in the fridge so you can press your design on the buttercream and it doesn t squish all over on you. I like to bring my buttercream cakes out of the fridge about 5 minutes before I ll be transferring my design so it naturally has a wetness to it from the condensation and I hardly have to wet the backs of my designs. 5. You will notice that each design comes with a 4-1/8 and a 6-1/8 option for cake height. The 1/8 extra is to allow for fondant covering. If you are doing a shorter or taller cake, simply create your own line where to stop and start and cut the template along those lines to create the height you need for your cake. If doing a cake taller than 6-1/8, just print two copies of the template, line them up and tape them together. 6. Due to various sizes of cakes and specific sizes of cutters, each design will have a seam in the back where the design will not line up. Please adjust your design accordingly. 7. Have fun!! I will be coming out with lots more designs, so keep checking back to my website for further inspiration. I love designing cakes and helping others create beautiful works of art. It blesses my heart to be a resource for you in your cake journey. Thank you and Best wishes!!
Extra Large Polka Dot Diagonal 6 Tall Cake *See cutter information on last page Line up wax paper straight edge with this bottom line for a 6 tall cake
Extra Large Polka Dot Diagonal 4 Tall Cake *See cutter information on last page Line up wax paper straight edge with this bottom line for the 4 cake
Extra Large Polka Dot Squared 6 Tall Cake *See cutter information on last page Line up wax paper straight edge with this bottom line for a 6 tall cake
Extra Large Polka Dot Squared 4 Tall Cake *See cutter information on last page Line up wax paper straight edge with this bottom line for the 4 cake
Medium Polka Dot Design Line Drawing: Use this line drawing to play with various color and design combinations.
Cutter you ll need: Ateco 24 Cutter Geometric Set #4845, medium circle (http://goo.gl/et8nfn- link to Amazon) Resources: My store on Amazon for all my favorite tools: http://goo.gl/t50twz My website at http://www.jessicaharriscakedesign.com My classes on Craftsy: Clean & Simple Cake Design : http://www.craftsy.com/cakedesign Simply Modern Cake Design : http://www.craftsy.com/simplymodern Clean & Simple Birthday Cakes : www.craftsy.com/ext/jessicaharris_3908_h (Underscore on either side of the 3908. My Favorite Color Combinations by Design Seeds: http://www.design-seeds.com/