How do they put photos on cakes?

[Cooking4Fun]

How are photos put on cakes? Is there more than one method? I saw a video from 12 years ago in which a clear sheets is printed with an edible ink and it's basically pressed on the cake like a temporary tattoo. I guess they don't print images directly onto a cake? How does it work?

 

[Silversage]

You need special edible paper and edible ink. I suppose you could do it on your home printer, but it wouldn't be very sanitary. Places that print edible pictures have dedicated printers just for food.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Image transfer, the early years.

 

[Cooking4Fun]

Does the edible sheet melt into cake or something?

Do they do this only for cake tops or can an image be wrapped around the outside?

 

[KatyCooks]

Decades ago, my next door neighbour developed a way of silk-screen printing onto cakes. (This was back in the 1980's.) He was a silk screen printer by trade, and found a way of using clean silk screens and edible dyes. He was able to take photos, and convert them into images - somehow making them appear on the cake surface. It was a delicate process and only worked on pretty firm iced cakes. But always impressed me! (And no computers involved at all.)

 

[caseydog]

I've been a professional photographer for 40 years, and have absolutely no idea how they put photos on cakes. I know what the OP is talking about, and have seen them, but I am 100-percent clueless about how thay do it.

CD

 

[Aunt Bea]

I've been a professional photographer for 40 years, and have absolutely no idea how they put photos on cakes. I know what the OP is talking about, and have seen them, but I am 100-percent clueless about how thay do it.

CD

There are several different printers that use edible inks to print on an edible sugar ‘paper’.

 

[dragnlaw]

Check out Amazon! LOL you can buy sheets of printed designs for you cakes and/or cupcakes.
Also google your local area, read that Costco will accept a picture and have it printed on edible for you - or something to that affect. Other bakeries in town might be able to do special orders too. Just remember that they are special orders and may take several days - plan ahead!

such Fun! there is a printed $100 bill to decorate a cake with - what a great novelty cake for someone!

 

[sharmajiya]

Photos on cakes are typically printed on edible paper using food-safe ink. Once printed, they're carefully placed onto the cake's surface. Edible adhesive or a thin layer of frosting helps secure the photo in place, ensuring it stays intact for consumption.

 

[Cooking4Fun]

Has anyone created a printer that can print directly on a cake? I know they have chocolate 3D printers so 2D should be simple. Lol.

 

[Aunt Bea]

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Image transfer, the early years.

View attachment 69231

That's how I would do it.

 

[dragnlaw]

Printers range up to $45,000. and that probably doesn't include the ink. LOL the one Aunt Bea shows is about $3,000.