One of the coolest things about the Cricut Cake (or so we’re told) is that you can cut so many different food items with it.
Since I am both a cake-decorating novice and a Cricut Cake newbie, I decided to start with what seemed like a simple and stress-free material: Frosting Sheets.
Of course, I have never even laid eyes on Frosting Sheet before, so I thought I’d do a special post here on just what they are, how they act, and how they taste.
As you may have read my my Cricut Cake Part One post, these are really very thin, somewhat flexible sheets of edible frosting. They are about the thickness of vellum and are are translucent like vellum, too:
The Cricut-branded frosting sheets arrive in 3-packs and retail from $12.00 and $17.00, depending on color and vendor- so they are NOT cheap.(Side note: ConsumerCrafts.com plans to have them in the near future, but as of this post, they aren’t on the site yet.)
To adhere the sheet, you need to apply a layer of shortening to the cutting mat. Interestingly, because the sheets are translucent, you can see clearly when it is stuck down. The sheets look milky where they are adhered, and more opaque white when they aren’t.
In that same vein, after the shapes were cut, I found that if I put the cut-out on colored frosting, the sheets absorbed the moisture from the frosting and took on the color a bit. Again, the differences was really just opaque to translucent- kind of like the difference between paper and vellum.
You can see what I’m talking about in the picture above- especially the star at the top!
I was intrigued by the idea of making 3-D shapes by cutting my images and then letting the shapes dry over a form so that they would “pop up” from the surface. I cut a butterfly shape and tried to drape it over a glass. The next day, I found that it not only DIDN’T become firm, it actually seemed more flimsy, like a stale cookie.
That was a little disappointing. But I have to be completely candid here: the most disappointing thing is the TASTE. Or lack thereof. My kids saw the words “frosting sheet” and begged to eat the scraps. Until they tasted them- and then they all but spit them out! First of all, they are only vaguely sweet. And they have a weird after-taste. And all the charm of a communion wafer!
But of course, they aren’t here for the taste, are they? No. There here to be cute little decorations, and that they are! And, as my daughter discovered, once they are on that cookie and “melt in” a little, you can’t even tell that they’re on there.
So on this first attempt with frosting sheets, here are my top tips:
- The frosting sheets are translucent, so make sure you can see that the sheet is adhered to the mat. No bubbles!
- Cut all your images at one time per sheet. You can always cut your frosting sheet in half and do it that way, too.
- Keep an exacto blade and a pick handy. Sometimes it won’t cut completely through, and that little blade will save you.
- Don’t pull! They are a little flexible, but will still tear. They also get more fragile the longer they are exposed to the air.
- Don’t expect to use them for 3-D images or to stay opaque.
Hope this information helps you out- and I’ll keep playing with my machine & taking the hits for you!
- Spooky Spider Halloween Bookmark Craft - October 24, 2018
- Review and Demo of LDRS Hybrid Ink Pads - October 15, 2018
- Review and Demo of Nuvo Hybrid Inks - October 1, 2018
- Craft Studio Tour and Organization Ideas - September 20, 2018
- Wax Paper Resist Background Technique - March 20, 2018
- Comparison of Liquid Watercolor Markers/Pens - March 16, 2018
- SAI Japanese Traditional Watercolor Brush Markers- Review & Demo - February 23, 2018
- Rinea Metallic Foil Paper & Ghost Ink Review - February 21, 2018
- Jane Davenport debuts at Creativation 2018 & Watercolor Card - February 13, 2018
- Creativation 2018: New Product Showcase - January 20, 2018
I tried these too. I like gumpaste better. It’s easier to cut.
I am glad you had better luck with these then I did 🙂
I have yet to try the frosting sheets…I have been afraid because they are so pricey. Maybe I will have the guts to try it now that I have your tips!
Thank you for the how to’s on the frosting sheet. No need to purchase them at this time, I’ll stay with fondant.
I think I’ll stick with gum paste or fondant- seems like these are expensive and not really as nice as the other choices available… thanks for doing this review… saved me money!! 🙂