Edible printed cake wraps are a relatively new trend in cake decorating, but the idea has been around for years. People will often wrap layers of fondant or piped chocolate around cakes to create a decorative pattern, but printed ones are fairly new.
Edible cake wraps are generally made with either wafer paper or icing sheets, and can be cut and served along with the cake.
They’re printed with food coloring printers and applied to the sides of the tier to create a printed look that mimics the appearance of painted fondant.
Edible cake wraps are a fast way to decorate a cake with a specific theme, since they can be printed with any number of patterns.
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What are edible cake wraps made from?
As a general rule, most edible cake wraps that are available commercially are made from either wafer paper or icing sheets. Wafer paper is a starch-based sheet, and icing sheets are sugar-based.
Wafer paper is less obtrusive on the cake surface, but some people prefer icing sheets because they’re sweeter.
I only sold wafer paper because what I find is that the older the icing sheets get, the more likely they are to stick to the backing paper and tear when you try to pull them off.
People sometimes put the icing sheets in the freezer for ten minutes before removing them from their backing paper, but I didn’t find that that was a 100% sure way to prevent them from tearing.
I also personally don’t like the texture of icing sheets, because it’s kind of plasticky and chewy, but that’s up to personal preference.
Wafer paper is a single sheet and doesn’t have a backing paper. You press it directly onto the cake and it will stick to buttercream or fondant that’s had piping gel or corn syrup brushed on.
I prefer it because there’s no need to a backing paper, and it’s less obvious when you eat it after it’s been sitting on the icing for a while.
To shop for wafer paper on Etsy, click here.
How do you use edible cake wraps?
To use an edible cake wrap, cut the printed sheet to match the height of the cake using a regular pair of scissors.
Prepare the surface of the cake by applying piping gel or corn syrup to fondant, or by roughing up the buttercream a little to make sure it’s sticky.
Press the cut cake wrap against the cake tier and gently rub it until it sticks to the cake.
It’s really easy to use cake wraps. Even beginners can get a really good result that looks professional if you work carefully, and you can usually reposition the wrap a little if you need to.
You can use regular scissors, and you’ll have to cut through the plastic backing film on icing sheets, but wafer paper is easier to cut.
I did this video showing how to apply a wafer paper cake wrap to different types of icings, so click to watch it here:
How many sheets will you need?
Most icing sheets or wafer paper sheets can be cut in half to create two strips to fit around a 4″ tall cake. If the tier is taller, you’ll need more sheets, because most printed edible sheets are about 8.5″ wide.
To cover a regular 8″ diameter tier that’s 4″ tall, you’ll need two full sheets that are cut in half to make 4″ tall strips.
This chart shows the number of sheets you’ll need to wrap different-sized cake tiers, as long as the tier isn’t more than about 4″ tall.
Can I use a regular printer to make printed sheets?
You CANNOT use a regular home printer to make an edible cake wrap.
The inks that are in regular printers contain toxic chemicals that keep the ink flowing through the printer, so they shouldn’t be used on food products that will touch a cake. Only dedicated edible ink printers should be used to create edible cake wraps.
I’ve had a lot of people ask me if they can switch the cartridges from their printer to food coloring inks, and the answer is also no!
Once a regular printer ink goes through the printer, you can’t use it for edible items.
Edible ink printers are regular printers, but the cartridges aren’t the same, and they require different maintenance and care.
To learn more about edible ink printers, read this article, they’re not as much fun as it sounds like they would be!
To find out about refrigerating wafer paper, click here.
Where can I get edible wafer paper and printed sheets?
The most convenient place to purchase edible cake wraps is online, because of the wide range of designs and patterns you’ll be able to find.
You may also be able to get pre-printed cake wraps in craft stores in the cake decorating section, but be careful with the expiration dates if you buy them there.
Wafer paper supply list:
Shop for materials to make wafer paper flowers on Amazon (#ad):
- Wafer paper, white or colored
- Silicone flower center molds
- Petal veiners
- Petal dust
- Floral wire
- Tylose glue
- Fluffy paintbrushes
- Flower former
- Craft scissors
- Liquid Food Coloring
- Food-grade glycerin to make wafer paper conditioner
- Corn starch
- Flower paper punches
- Steamer to shape wafer paper
