A Guide to Removing the Edible Image from the Backing Paper

Edible image printing helps you personalize your celebrations asides from being great fun to indulge in. However, most people new to edible printing have trouble transferring the edible image onto their cake, cupcake or cookie. Frosting sheets, in particular, have a thin layer of frosting and a plastic/translucent backing paper behind them. This paper needs to be peeled off so that the image settles onto the food surface. This article attempts to explain the procedure to be followed when removing the edible image from its backing paper.

How is an Edible Image Printed?
An edible image is printed on special inkjet printers that use edible ink specially designed for printing. These are different from ordinary food dyes and must not be interchanged with the latter. An edible paper, typically, a frosting sheet, sugar sheet, rice sheet, fabric sheet or wafer paper. These sheets are inserted into the printer tray, just as you would ordinary printing paper. When you give the print command the printer nozzles spray ink in the desired pattern and your printed sheet comes out through the tray.

How to Remove the Edible Image from the Backing Paper
A high-quality frosting sheet from Icinginks is made of tapioca or cornstarch, with added sugar and gums. To apply the printed frosting sheet to the cake you must remove the backing paper beneath the printed side of the sheet. But before you attempt to do this you must ensure that the printed frosting/icing has dried and is hard enough to be peeled easily.

What Causes the Icing to Stick to the Backing Paper?
The factors that may result in the icing to stick to the baking paper are:
1:> The environment of the Room You are Baking In:
Humidity is the primary reason why the icing image gets stuck to the backing paper. In a moist room, the icing collects moisture, effectively ‘clinging’ to the backing sheet.
2:> The thickness of the Icing:
The thinner the icing it is, the more fragile it is to remove. If you are regularly facing an issue peeling from the backing consulting a baking expert will help you through.

Simple hacks to peel off the edible icing from baking paper effortlessly
1:> Table Edge Rescue: If the icing is starting to peel away as you bend the backing, use the edge of a table to help release it. An important thing to note is that you are trying to peel the backing away from the icing, and not the other way round since the icing is very delicate. Run the backing sheet back and forth over the table-top corner and you should see it starting to loosen.

2:> Pop the frosting sheet in the freezer: This is one of the easiest ways to remove the icing from the baking paper. The humidity within a freezer is generally very low, and with the cold temperature the icing will harden up very quickly. Speed is very important to this procedure. You must apply the frozen frosting image to the cake seconds before it starts to return to its previous state. You can repeat this multiple times if necessary, and use the table technique to help ease away the icing if necessary.

3:> Fan oven: Another way to remove the icing is by placing it inside a warm fan oven for around 10 minutes (warm, not hot – you’re not trying to burn them off!). The heated air will slowly dry off the moisture holding the icing to its backing.

4:> Use a Hairdryer: If you don’t have a fan oven, turn over the icing sheet onto its backing on a clean and dry surface. Now use a hairdryer for aone minute or two so that the sheet dries out. With the impact a hairdryer creates, with warm air blown down onto the sheet, there is a risk that the icing will start to peel up and break.

5:> Use Premium Baking Sheets: If you are working daily with edible images and encounter removal issues, it is worth investing in Prime Blank Frosting Sheet. These edible papers empower bakers with spontaneity and creativity. Place the frosting sheets in the edible printer just like normal paper, and print any desired image, using Icinginks edible ink. Once printed, make sure you let the frosting sheet dry for at least 6 - 12 minutes.