Chocolate Transfer Decorations for cupcakes

white chocolate cupcake with whitened ganache, topped with beetroot white chocolate decoration & gold leaf

Chocolate transfer sheets are a fun & easy way to make professional looking toppers & decorations for your cupcakes.

To make your cupcake decorations all you need is a chocolate transfer sheet or two, melted tempered chocolate or melted choc/candy melts (compound chocolate). Make sure your chocolate is just warm to touch... if your chocolate is too hot it will melt the design into a messy blur. 

If you are new to transfer sheets or unsure about tempering chocolate, practising with compound/melts is a good idea as it's more stable and you will find it easier first time around. I'd recommend an offset/cranked spatula too; as it allows you to evenly and thinly spread the chocolate, but you can use a standard spatula.

an offset spatula makes spreading the chocolate a breeze 

available in 100's of designs, chocolate transfers sheet are thin sheets of acetate printed with an edible coloured cocoa butter design. 

 Decorations you can make for your cupcakes include...

Shards; to make shards spread melted chocolate over the entire chocolate transfer sheet. When the chocolate is set peel away the acetate and break the chocolate into shards. Gently press shards into your frosted cupcakes. 

Shapes; cut pieces of the acetate sheet into shapes. Spread melted chocolate over pieces and leave to set. Alternatively lay the pieces over a rolling pin, in a small bowl etc to create curves, twists or bowls. When the chocolate is set peel away the acetate and use decorations as desired. 

Piping; Pipe monograms, words, flowers, hearts or patterns directly onto the transfer sheet. Allow the chocolate to set and carefully peel away acetate. Top your frosted cupcakes with your creations.

aim for thin chocolate for cupcake toppers

chocolate on transfer sheet piece drying in a curved shape by resting over a mini rolling pin

peeling away the acetate leaves behind an edible transferred pattern

Tips;

If you pipe monograms or cut shapes you will end up with the inevitable "scrap pile", store your scraps in a sealed container and use them to top chocolate dipped truffles or chocolates.

In hot weather store all your transfer sheets in the refrigerator in a sealed container to prevent the designs melting.

Chocolate transfer sheets are available online from Fancy Flours (US) carry 125 different chocolate transfer designs, Cakes Around Town (AU), Roberts Confectionary (AU), Cakes Cookies & Crafts Shop (UK)

Happy Baking :)

Make your own beetroot flavoured & coloured chocolate here

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