Paint by Numbers, The Giant Shortbread Cookie, and Buttercream Transfers.

When I was little I had a color by number activity that I loved! Color by numbers is a great activity for children. Color by number teaches children their numbers and colors as well as introduces art into their lives! I had so many coloring books growing up. I also had the big box of Crayola crayons as well... you know the one with the pencil sharpener built into the back!! 

What does color by numbers have to do with cakes or more specifically giant shortbread cookies??? Well... I have seen tutorials on buttercream transfers and the tutorials say to start with a outlined image like the ones you find in coloring books. I did a Google coloring book search and found http://coloritbynumbers.com/online/book/flowers. Color by it by numbers is a great website for children and parents. I decided to try the the buttercream transfer method with a flower image from the site. In the buttercream transfer method you trace an image with butter cream on top of wax paper that is placed over the image to be traced. When the traced image is completed then then it is frozen, and later placed on top of a cake or cookie cake. 

I have a love for shortbread! I decided that I would make a giant shortbread cookie! I have never made shortbread and it was a learning experience. A learning experience that payed off big time! The shortbread was delicious!!! I found the recipe on foodnetwork.com

*The water lilly image rights belong to color it by numbers, a great website! I did not draw this water lilly myself and the cookie that I made has since been consumed by my family! It was delicious!

Buttercream Transfer method on Shortbread Cookie Tutorial in Photographs: 

For the Buttercream Transfer you will need:

Crusting Buttercream

Wilton gel colors

Piping Bags

Wilton small writing tip and coupler
Giant Cookie to frost
A Coloring book image
Cookie Sheet
Wax Paper
*room in your freezer

To make black frosting use chocolate frosting and black gel food color.

I used the wilton tip on my black icing bag only and just sniped a very small opening in the ends of my other piping bags. I want the black outline to be very crisp and precise. The colors do not have to be as precise as you are filling in your outline,

First pipe the black outline of your image.

When your image outline is complete put the whole cookie sheet in the freezer while you prepare your next icing color or about 5 mins. 

Next fill in your design with colored frosting and freeze for five mins between each color application .

When you are finished put the whole thing in the freezer and let sit until frozen through. This will depend on the thickness of the buttercream. I let mine chill out in the freezer overnight. 

Next I baked and frosted my giant shortbread cookie in a tart pan. When it was good and cooled I frosted it blue and applied my buttercream transfer exposed buttercream side down and then peeled the was paper from the top! 

This is the finished giant shortbread cookie!