Want a super easy way to take your cake to the next level?!
DECORATING WITH RICE PAPER
I recently used rice paper for the ruffled sails on this wedding cake and I had many people asking what the heck they were!
These paper like disks are made from rice flour and are most commonly used to wrap spring rolls. When they are submerged in water they lose their stiffness and are very easy to manipulate; making them perfect for food safe decor.
There are a few ways to make toppers with rice paper. I made mine by crumpling up parchment paper and laying the wet rice papers over top of the parchment. I then left these designs to dry for twenty four hours.
After they are fully dried, they hold the exact shape of the crumbled paper underneath.
Another way to use them is to make more specific designs like ruffles or perfectly folded sails. You can do this by using a silicon mat, folding to your design and keeping it secure with a chip clip or binder clips. The possibilities are limitless!
COLORED SAILS
Since rice paper is translucent and you can color them any way you would like. Any food coloring will work for this but I prefer to use liquid food coloring since you will be adding it to water. When adding the color you can either add drops of food coloring and mix for a solid colored sail or you can add drops without mixing for an ombre look. When they are completely dry you can also paint them or add glitter using a food safe brush.
APPLYING TO CAKES
Attaching rice paper sails to your creations could not be more easy. For the cake above, I simply stuck the sails into the top and the side ones were applied with a bit of buttercream. If you need the sails to be in very specific gravity defying places, you can use toothpicks. After wetting the rice paper and before placing on your mold, wrap either end of the wet paper around a toothpick. Place your sails to dry like normal and they will dry around the toothpick creating a perfect topper. On fondant cakes, rice paper sails will stick with a little bit of water.
STEPS
Prepare your parchment paper or silicone mat to desired shape.
Fill a plate or shallow dish with warm water. The rice paper will need to be fully submerged.
If you would like a certain shape, cut your rice papers now. Add food coloring to water prior to submerging if you desire colored sails.
Fully submerge your rice paper in the water. You may need to use your fingers to press the paper down so the water can come on top of your sail. Let rice paper soak for about a minute. If your rice paper has a pattern to it, which most generic brands do, make sure the pattern has completely faded.
Carefully remove from the water and place the wet rice paper over top of your pre-created design. Be very gentle, they are super fragile once wet and will tear.
Set aside to dry for at least twenty four hours.
Once dried you can paint on any extra designs or embellishments and simple stick on or in your cake.
Add to your cake and blow everyone away!!