Ask Nancy

Tracing a pattern with a toothpick is more commonly used when tracing a design onto rolled fondant – which is the case with the project you are making. You would hold the pattern up to the cake, then trace with the point of the toothpick, leaving an indentation in the soft fondant. The piping gel method you were planning to use would also work, but you’d need to make sure that you not use too much piping gel and cover all the markings with buttercream icing, because the dried piping gel will appear shiny on the rolled fondant.