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The Basics Of Adding Edible Printing To Your Bakery

by Ricardo Hart

One of the greatest innovations for bakeries was the development of edible printing. Investing in a printer, edible ink and edible paper gives your bakery business the freedom to produce flawless images to scale for cakes, cupcakes, cookies and more. If you are trying to set your business apart, consider the benefits of merging technology and your personal designs to create decorative, beautiful products for your customers. Here's a look at what you should know to put edible printing on the design board at your bakery.

Choosing a Printer

You can use most models of inkjet and photo printers for edible printing. The key is to make sure that you're using a brand new or refurbished printer with only edible ink. Don't use a printer that's been used to print with standard ink unless it's refurbished so that the jets are clean.

Types of Edible Paper

Once you've chosen your printer and stocked up on edible ink, it's time to consider the paper that you'll be printing on. There are two primary types of edible paper – starch paper and frosting paper. Each one has its benefits for different applications, so you may find that you prefer having both on hand for various uses.

Starch Paper

Starch paper, also called wafer paper, is typically thin, flexible and white. It is easy to print on because it absorbs ink well. Starch paper products don't dissolve into frosting surfaces, so they're great for using with smaller decorations like flowers, butterflies and other delicate images. The composition of the paper makes it easy to cut and shape for custom images. If you opt to use starch paper, just make sure that you let the frosting dry on the top before you apply it, because moisture can cause it to wrinkle.

Frosting Paper

Frosting sheets look a lot like paper, but they are sheets of frosting that's been applied to a thin plastic sheet.  When you're looking for something for cake printing that will blend into the flavor of the cake, frosting sheets are the way to go. They'll settle directly into the frosting layer on the top of the cake seamlessly.

If you opt to use frosting paper, you'll want to make sure that you cover the cake in buttercream. It will give you the best final result when you apply the frosting sheet. You can use it on fondant or marzipan, but it doesn't blend as well. One of the best things about using frosting paper is that you can cut it in custom shapes and the paper comes in many different colors, giving you a lot of flexibility in your decorating choices.

If you want to grow your bakery business, investing in a new or refurbished printer to use for edible printing may be just the answer you need. With edible printing, your options for imagery on your baked goods are seemingly endless. For more printing information, contact a printing supplier like Midwest Laser Specialists Inc.

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