Easy Polka Dot Application/Spacing

I love polka dots, but I absolutely hate the tedious process of sticking tiny bits of fondant to a cake.  A few weeks ago, I visited Jessica's blog at http://jessicakesblog.blogspot.com and read about her wax paper transfer method (which I was able to use a few weeks ago to apply the Boston skyline to another graduation cake) so when I received a request for a graduation cake with polka dots, I knew that the wax paper transfer method would be the best way to go.  It turned out to be very quick and simple with no need for marking the cake or measuring space between dots. Here's how it works:



First, I Googled "polka dots" and found a pattern that was spaced the way that I wanted it to be.  Then I printed the pattern, cut it out to be the same height as the part of the cake that I was going to be covering with dots, and taped it to my countertop.

Next, I cut a piece of wax paper around the same size as the patterned paper and laid it on top of the patterned paper.  Then I brushed the wax paper with a thin layer of vegetable shortening.  (Believe it or not, I use this brush exclusively for shortening, which is probably a good thing since it is nearly impossible to remove all of the greasy residue!)

Once the wax paper was prepared, I rolled out some black fondant and used one of my frosting tips to cut out the dots.

 Then I placed the dots on the wax paper, on top of the dots on the template.

 Once the wax paper was covered with dots, I brushed a thin layer of piping gel on each dot, picked the wax paper up (the shortening prevents the dots from falling off), and then pressed the wax paper with the dots onto my cake.  Then I peeled the wax paper away and used it to apply my next round of dots, until my entire cake was covered.

I am a super slow cake decorator and this took me no time at all.  It also prevented me from having to measure (which I hate), or from "eyeballing" the placement of the dots... which I also hate. :-)