Stencils can be expensive and may take a while to arrive if you have a specific or expedited deadline. Here at Fate Cakes, we have many clients who request customized designs and cakes which use a stencil pattern and sometimes it’s easier to create one from scratch in comparison to finding a similar one (it it exists) from a third party.
What You Will Need:

– Printed copy of pattern/design
– Large piece of glass (about 1/4″ in thickness)
– Boxing Tape/ Scotch Tape / Duct Tape
– Acetate Paper (Found at any local art/paper supplier)
– Wood burning tool (Found at any local craft store)

Making your own stencil if fairly simple as long as you have the right tools, a steady hand, and some patience (lots of patience). The first thing to keep in mind, even if you’re purchasing a stencil from a vendor, is the ratio of pattern:size in reference to your finalized cake. For example, we are showcasing a 3D Louis Vuitton cake which was replicated from their Summer 2015 collection. The client which requested this design specifically wanted to smaller – almost ¼ the size of the actual purse; therefore, the ratio to the iconic LV pattern had to translate to the resizing.
Once you’ve determined a good size to the pattern, print off the design using a standard printer on an 8 ½”x11” sheet of printer paper – or larger if your cake needs a bigger pattern size; or if one of the sides of your cake will span longer than either 8 ½” or 11” – depending on its horizontal or vertical positioning/alignment.
After making a replicated print of the pattern, place a piece of glass (aproximately ¼” thick) on top of the pattern and tape it to a flat surface/table.
Next, take your acetate paper (thickness will be dependent on the complexity and size of your pattern) and adhere it on top of the glass using tape to secure it in place. Once you’ve compelted these steps, plug in your wood burning tool and wait about a minute until it has heated to the point of burning/melting the paper.
Note: A wood burning tool is a fabulous utensil and is useful for many arts and crafts. The more experience you have it, the better you will become in making accurate and replicated stencils.
The paper does not have to cool and can be used directly after etching after it has been thoroughly washed with water and soap. This will allow for any remaining particles to be removed before being placed on your cake.
Cake stencils come in a variety of patterns, designs and sizes, but sometimes it becomes impossible to find an exact replica to your specific cake needs. If you’re up for the challenge, try your hand at making your own stencil and remember – practice makes perfect!
Love the Louis Vuitton cake featured in this blog posting? Contact one of our Fate Cakes representatives today (614.219.9429) to learn more about how you can also have a custom made 3D cake to surprise that special lady on an anniversary or birthday celebration. For this specific cake, the client ordered the real deal; as well as, this smallest replicated version. What a thoughtful gift, but by no means do you have to surprise her with both – just get her an unforgettable and one of a kind cake. Even we admit that to it’s uniqueness and will be something none of her friends or family would also have.