Wafer Paper and Its Uses

What is Wafer Paper?

Wafer paper is an edible paper, usually made of rice or potato flour.

It is available at Cake Art, in 8 ½” x 11” white sheets. You can purchase individual sheets or a 100 count package. This paper has no real taste and if you place a small piece of it on your tongue, it will taste like and dissolve the way a Communion wafer would.

When you are purchasing wafer paper.

Always look for smooth, unblemished sheets that are uniform in color. Store them flat in a cool place (room temperature is fine) away from heat and sunlight. 

The sheets have a smooth side and a rough side. There are several different techniques in cake decorating where wafer paper is used. Wafer paper may be used to make prepared decorations for cake tops, as well as formed into flowers, or as support pieces for sculpted cakes, such as bunny ears, fingernails and more...

Cake Top Preparation

• Decide upon the shape you want the wafer paper piece to have – square for a square cake, round for a round, or an oval for a sheet cake. Cut the wafer paper to that shape with a crafting knife or scissors.Unless you are a freehand artist, you will need a design to copy. There are many sources for these. Is your cake based on a party pattern? Party patterns are a great source for designs. Coloring books, online coloring pages, etc. are all most useful also.

• First acquire a mirror image (by flipping the image on your computer/copy machine or tracing). Trace your image onto the rough side of the paper, using edible food pens or paste color and paint brush. Apply a thin coating of clear piping gel using an offset spatula, then use the spatula for one single stroke so the wafer paper image is smooth. The wafer paper may curl a bit initially but the weight of the piping gel should cause it to flatten out.

• Move image to waxed paper. For an image you plan to lay on a cake, you can color the image with edible food markers, with a craft brush and decorating colors thinned with a little water or with an airbrush.

• Another option for coloring your piece is to brush petal dusts on it to color it, or color it with edible markers. For really dark colors, color and area and allow it to dry completely before re-applying color. You may also cut out individual items, such as flower petals, and assemble them after coloring, on your cake top. 

• If you own an edible printer, depending on the type you have, you may print a picture, design or pattern on your wafer paper and cut it out to add to your cake, cupcakes or frosted cookies.

A wonderful book to have that gives great information on the various uses of wafer paper has been written by Marsha Winbeckler, entitled Wafer Paper Uses, Item# 60-385. We have it in stock, just waiting for you! Click Here To Order