Royal Icing Cupcake Toppers
I have been making a lot of royal icing transfers lately and I am loving them. It is so nice to go to my pantry and grab what I want to decorate cupcakes without stressing. You can make a cupcake in less than an hour and as soon as it cools, you can pipe the icing and add cute royal icing cupcake toppers. Fast and simple desserts are the way to go.
Since I started sharing the “Template Tuesday” templates with you, I have received a few questions about how long the RI Transfers will last on the cupcakes. Well, this made me think about how I apply mine. I usually pipe the icing and then add the royal icing transfer right before the event so they will look their best. I decided to see how long they would last on top of a cupcake before they started breaking down.
I made these bee transfers last week for this post. Then, I sat them on my kitchen table and left them alone. I live in a log cabin with huge windows that get the full hot evening sun. They sat there untouched in the air conditioning with the sun hitting them for hours. I looked at them everyday and nothing. They held up beautifully. I couldn’t have asked for better results even with all the humidity we have had the past week.
Tips for Applying Royal Icing Cupcake Toppers:
I think there are a few simple reasons they held up so nice. I am not a scientist but, I have noticed what works for for me and i hope it works for you.
- The bees were made with 15 second icing. If the icing is on the thin side, it will break down faster than thick icing will because moisture and royal icing cupcake toppers don’t play well with each other.
- The cupcake icing is sturdy enough to hold a peak. The same rule applies for the cupcake icing. Thicker is better.
- The bees were made with white icing only. If they were made with dark colors, it could have bled onto the cupcake icing and made it look messy.
If you follow these simple tips, I think you will have success with your royal icing cupcake toppers. If you have questions about how to make your icing shiny, Sweetopia has some great tips here.
For information on how to store royal icing transfers, click here.
Happy Creating,
These bees are adorable and I know the time that went into adding the black and yellow sanding sugar to such tiny spaces. I’ve use royal icing transfers quite a bit and wanted to know if you are aware that they can be successfully frozen. I store between pieces of parchment paper and freeze in an airtight containter. When ready to use, thaw in the container at room temperature.
Thanks so much for the tip Paula. I had no idea you could freeze them. I know people freeze RI but, I never applied it to transfers. Thanks to you, I will now:)
What a neat experiment! I never thought about it, but it is so important to know 🙂 No one wants a mushy transfer on their cupcake!
No they don’t Jennifer. Imagine all that work…gone. Yikes.
See…you are a bee keeper – and a good one!!! 🙂
Awe! Now if only I can get a cute puppy like yours;)
Great tips, Lisa! I would have never of thought of the possibility of bleeding on to the cupcake icing from the colored RI transfer had you not mentioned it. What a mess that would be!
You know how funny RI can be Mike. That is why I don’t usually place my transfers on until the last minute.
Great tips! Those bees are still cute as ever 😉
You live in a log cabin … awesome!
Thanks Brenda. I am so glad you like the bees. I do live in a log cabin and it is really cool. I am surrounded by woods.
Such a fabulous post! I will definitely keep this in mind 🙂
Thanks Nessa 😉
Thanks so much for the helpful tips! So many of your templates would make absolutely adorable cupcake toppers, so this post will definitely come in handy especially with the darker colored designs. Thanks again!
You are very welcome Aida!
i love the bees and the tips are very helpful!, that being said, i have a question about coloring, i use the wilton food coloring gels, and i can NEVER get a good peach (or skin) color, mine comes out orange, i mainly work with RI and a TON of fondant, now i understand that colors darken with butter cream and fondant, is this the same with RI? also what colors do you use to make (skin or peach), and how much? also (and im fairly new to the business) do you know of any cheap website for cake boxes, glitter and pearl dusting, cake tools, cookie cutters, and pre-made flowers? anything would help! im from a small town, and competition is something fierce, every stay at home mom is starting up cake businesses from home, so im trying to stay on top of the competition and stand out. Everything i have learned about decorating has come straight from websites like yours and youtube, and while i see nothing but improvement in myself, i have acquired a small following. I like the things you make, your detail is exquisite. Any tips for a beginner would very much be appreciated from this end! 🙂 (oh and any tips on pricing? i feel at times im selling myself too short)
Hi Courtney,
Colors do darken with Royal Icing just like with buttercream. I use Americolor gels and use “Chocolate Brown” and “Ivory” for fleshtone. I add a small amount of each until I get the color I want. More ivory and less brown works for me.
Here is a post I did about taking orders: http://thebearfootbaker.com/2012/11/tips-on-taking-orders/
Here is a guide for beginners but there is a lot of information and tips for everyone: http://thebearfootbaker.com/2013/12/beginners-guide-to-cookie-decorating/
Hi..
I know this has been up for awhile, but I had a question. I made some football cupcakes this weekend with royal icing goal post toppers. The bottom tip of the goal post I stuck into the cupcake and frosting. It was super cute! Until the goal posts started breaking off right on the buttercream frosting line. Is it the mixture of the two that makes the royal icing break down? Any tips or ideas you can think of to help me out with that? Thanks!
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
I am sorry you had trouble with your cupcakes and transfers. There are a few things you can do to help prevent them from breaking. If I were to make a goal post to stick down into the icing, I would not stick the transfers into the icing until right before the cupcakes were served. I have a few more ideas but, I am going to email you. You have inspired me! 🙂
Thanks Lisa!
I have an order for another 2 dozen and they will be traveling with them so am definitely going to try packing those separate for them to put on before serving. Here’s a picture…if this works 😉
https://www.facebook.com/329459997219989/photos/pcb.348844788614843/348842711948384/?type=1
Thanks for any and all help 🙂
Rachel
How long can you leave the royal icing transfers in the buttercream before they start to melt? We are doing them for my son’s birthday party and we pretty much have to everything premade before the set up (it’s at a place called Pump it up) so we won’t be able to really do anything but put them out a few minutes before everyone gets there. Wondering if we put the transfers on the cupcakes that afternoon how they would hold up…any help you can give me would be great.
Hi Jennifer.
I have had success leaving the transfers on for a few days. Once, I set a cupcake aside for a week and it look as good at the end of the week as it did in the beginning. That said, royal icing is tricky. Humidity has a lot to do with it. Make sure the royal icing transfers have had several days to dry completely.
I suggest you make a practice run and see how it works for you in your climate. I wish there was a more definate answer I can give you but, like I said, humidity has a lot to do with it.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for all of your useful tips!
For the tests you’ve done with RI transfers on buttercream, were they all with a crusting buttercream? I’m wondering if the royal icing would hold up on an Italian meringue buttercream.
Hi Rachel,
I have not tried to use royal icing transfers on Italian buttercream. It is a bit mosist so I have not tried it. If you want, you can always make them out of fondant.