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What is Edible Ink Printing and How Does it Work?

What is Edible Ink Printing and How Does it Work?

The chances are if you're reading this, you're thinking of buying an edible printer and looking to find out more about them. So we've created this guide to cover the basics of what you need to know before getting started…

Edible printing is an effective way to personalise cakes, bakes, biscuits and more by adding custom designs, messages or even photos! Our quick edible printing guide outlines all the key information you need to start producing customised edible goods for any occasion. 

Creating your own personalised edible toppers for baked creations has never been easier. Whether you’re an avid home baker or a commercial kitchen, your very own edible-image printer allows you to create edible toppers for all kinds of food and drink applications, with no wait time for deliveries and complete creative freedom! 

In this guide we will answer the following questions about edible printing:-

  • What is Edible Ink Printing?
  • What is Edible Ink?
  • What is an Edible Printer? 
  • Which Printer Should I Use for Edible Ink Printing?
  • Do I Need to Clean my Edible Ink Printer?
  • What Are the Different Types of Edible Paper? 
  • What You’ll Need to Start Edible Printing

Cake by @sugarcoated_by_lisa Using EPS Wafer Paper Printed Sails and Icing Sheet Printed Cake Wrap

What is Edible Ink Printing?

Edible printing is a technique using edible ink and edible paper to create printed images such as photos, logos or messages using a dedicated edible printer. These edible images are then used to customise cakes, chocolates and other baked goods with your chosen designs, and can even be used for drinks, confectionary or savoury foods such as pies and breads to add logos, labels or personal messages! Whether you are a home baker or a commercial kitchen, edible printing can help elevate your baked creations with visually engaging toppers to attract customers, as well as adding a personalised touch!

What is Edible Ink?

You may be wondering, but what is edible ink and how does it work like regular ink? Edible ink is food-grade ink made of entirely edible ingredients such as glycerine and food-colourings. Edible ink is entirely safe for consumption and all ingredients have been approved for food-use. As edible printers work using CMYK inkjet printing technology, the colours of edible ink are made to closely match the colours of regular CMYK ink colours - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. This means when used in the place of regular ink, in a printer dedicated for edible use, we can print images exactly like using a regular printer. 

But not all edible inks are the same. Some lower-quality edible inks use cheaper ingredients and do not follow thorough filtration processes. This means they may print less vibrant images and can cause a build up of particles more quickly within the edible printer components. This can cause irreversible damage to your edible printer and print head. EPS Edible Ink is not only formulated with quality ingredients to ensure it is vibrantly coloured for high-definition prints, but we also double-filter the ink to remove excess sediment, prolonging the life of your print head.

EPS Edible Ink Bottles - 100ml Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black

You may choose to purchase pre-filled edible ink cartridges to cut out the set-up time, as these are ready-to-use and can be inserted in your edible printer straight away. Alternatively, edible ink can be purchased separately, meaning you can fill and refill empty cartridges as and when needed. See our in-depth guide on filling your edible ink cartridges.

What is an Edible Printer?

Contrary to belief, printing with edible ink doesn’t require a special kind of printer; but there are some non-negotiable features that the best printers have that makes these suitable to use for inkjet edible printing. These important features are…

  1. The printer must be new and unused.
  2. The printer should have a print-head that can be removed to be cleaned, or replaced if necessary.
  3. The printer must use inkjet CMYK technology and have separate cartridges for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black ink which can be refilled and/or replaced.
  4. The printer should have a rear-feed paper input tray which is necessary for feeding edible paper to prevent damage.

It's also important to note that a printer used for edible printing must be dedicated to only edible printing and must never be used with regular ink as this could be harmful for health.

Edible printers work in exactly the same way as regular printers, the only difference is that food-safe edible inks and cartridges are used to print on edible paper.

An edible ink printer will help save time and money in the long run, despite requiring an investment to begin with. Owning an edible ink printer setup of your own makes for a time and money efficient process for customising your cakes and bakes, rather than having to rely on ordering them online and finding a reliable edible printing service. You can avoid minimum order spends and personalise as many edible prints as you like, with no worries of delivery times ahead of birthdays, Christmas parties or whichever special occasion you may be planning. It also allows you to take on last-minute orders that you might otherwise have had no chance of getting an edible print in time for! It’s quick and easy – as soon as you need your edible topper, you can design and print it when needed!

Which Printer Should I Use for Edible Ink Printing?

Bearing the above features in mind, along with our years of experience and knowledge of edible printing, EPS stock what we have determined to be the best-suited models of edible printers for creating edible prints. We currently stock three different Canon printer models that we recommend are the best and easiest to use and maintain when printing with edible ink.

Shop Our Most Popular Edible Printer Kit for Cakes

The three Canon Edible Printer Models that we stock are:-

  • A4 Canon TS705a Edible Printer - this is the most popular model for beginners in edible printing. With a compact design and easy-to-use display screen, this is the perfect edible printer for small home-bakers and independent cake decorators.
  • A4/A3 Canon iX6850 Edible Printer - our largest printer model capable of printing up to A3 size edible paper. This sleek design edible printer is most-suited to larger scale businesses, including those offering an edible printing service as well as commercial bakeries.
  • A4 Canon TS6350 Edible Printer & Scanner - the only edible printer model to also offer a copy/scanner feature for scanning in old photographs to print for cakes or even using for day-to-day business use to save space on an additional copying machine.

We offer all of our printer models with a choice of cartridge type (refillable or pre-filled) and a choice of edible papers meaning you can choose the right printer for your business needs. If you need more help choosing an edible printer, see our guide - Which Edible Printer Should I Choose?

Do I Need to Clean my Edible Ink Printer?

Two of our most frequently asked questions by customers thinking of buying their own edible printer are:-

  • How often do I need to use my edible printer?
  • What maintenance does an edible printer require?

The majority of printer support requests we receive are normally resolved with thorough cleaning.

Don't allow the thought of cleaning and maintenance of an edible printer put you off buying your own. Printing with edible ink does require a little more time and attention than it does when using regular printer ink, but adopting a good routine from the off-set prevents this from becoming a huge task. 

Due to the ingredients in edible ink and lack of non-edible solvents, edible ink can dry out more quickly than regular ink. It is important that the print-head is kept clean, and that the printer is regularly used to avoid the ink from settling and causing blockages which effect your print quality or irreversible damage to your edible printer. Following a regular cleaning routine is the best way to prevent this. We have a separate blog covering this topic, with a complete edible printer and cleaning routine which can be found here.

We recommend printing on your edible printer at least weekly to keep the ink flowing and prevent a build up which occurs when the ink is left sitting for too long. Don't think you will need to use your edible printer that often? That's no problem, but it's important to follow this one important rule when storing your edible printer for longer than 2 - 3 days - NEVER store your edible printer with the edible ink cartridges inside. If you won't be needing your edible printer again before this time, you can use our Edible Printer Cleaning & Maintenance Kits or Pre-Filled Edible Printer Cleaning Cartridges in place of your regular edible ink cartridges and run a cleaning cycle, before storing your printer. You can even leave our cleaning cartridges inside your printer, which prevents the print head from drying out. 

Even with regular use, we still recommend cleaning your edible printer every 1 - 2 weeks, as this ensures everything remains running smoothly and your edible print quality is at it's best. The easiest way to maintain a cleaning routine for your edible printer is with our dedicated Cleaning Kits and Cartridges.

 

EPS Edible Printer Cleaning & Maintenance Kit

What are the Different Types of Edible Paper?

If you've made it this far, then you must be serious about getting started in edible printing. To make sure you choose the right type of edible paper for your products, you need to know what they are and how they can be used. All edible printer models sold by EPS can print onto any of these edible paper types meaning you can use your edible printer for a variety of uses and try out different techniques and effects on all of our edible paper mediums.

There are three main types of edible paper: icing sheets, wafer paper and transfer sheets. We will run through the types of edible paper, their uses and various options of each type below:-

What are Icing Sheets?

Icing sheets, otherwise known as frosting sheets or sugar sheets, are widely used for cake, cupcake and biscuit decorating, and will work with most edible surfaces. They consist of a thin layer of icing backed with a sheet of plastic, allowing them to be fed through an edible printer without damage. Icing sheets are smooth, white and flexible, allowing for a high-quality image to be printed onto them, making them a perfect choice for vibrant images, photos and logos for your cakes, bakes and other sweet treats. Icing sheets also have a subtle sweet taste, which is another reason they are often chosen for application to sweet treats and desserts. All EPS icing sheets are allergen-free, including gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free and are also suitable for vegetarians and vegans. 

Edible Cupcake Toppers Printed on EPS Premium Easy Peel Icing Sheets

Deciding on an icing sheet to use comes down to personal preference. Our most popular icing sheet is our Premium Easy Peel Icing Sheet, but we also have other of variations. This includes our newest addition to the range, the Satin Smooth Icing Sheet, which is our smoothest and softest ever icing sheet. We also stock our Pre-Cut Icing Sheets in various formulas, shapes and sizes which can be handy if you're printing a high-volume of edible toppers for cakes to save on cutting time, and E171-Free Icing Sheets for our EU-based customers or for UK bakers selling into the EU.

If you're new to edible printing and have questions about our icing sheets, please reach out to our team by email on sales@edibleprintsupplies.co.uk so we can discuss and help you decide on the best icing sheets for your business needs.

What is Wafer Paper?

Wafer Paper, also known as rice paper, is widely used for cake decorating and drinks toppers and is made from potato starches, water and vegetable oil, making it gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It is popularly used for cupcake toppers and to be placed on top of beverages for drink and cocktail toppers. As wafer paper is virtually tasteless, it does not affect the taste of your food or drink, meaning it can also be used for savoury foods such as pies and breads to add edible labels - a creative eco-friendly alternative to additional unnecessary packaging and labels!

Edible Wafer Paper Pie Labels

EPS wafer paper comes in three thicknesses: 0.3mm (wafer paper fine), 0.35mm (wafer paper) and 0.65mm (wafer card). All types of wafer paper can be used with an edible printer, but edible prints on fine wafer paper can look less defined and vibrant, compared to prints on icing sheets. Generally, the thicker the wafer paper, the more clear and vibrant the print will look. As wafer card is double the thickness of standard wafer paper, this can be a good choice for printing logos or photos for cakes and cupcakes. For drinks, we recommend our standard-thickness wafer paper for foam-topped cocktails or coffees, and wafer card for other drinks without a foam top. EPS also stock Sweetened Wafer Paper and Sweetened Wafer Card if you prefer a subtle sweetness to your edible toppers.

Wafer paper is one of the most versatile edible paper mediums, and alongside being used as edible paper for printed toppers, it can also be folded, moulded and manipulated into other types of edible paper decorations for cakes, such as wafer paper flowers, wafer paper sails and other unique shapes and creations. You can even use your edible printer to add custom designs or colours to your wafer paper for these effects, like the wafer paper sails in the cake at the beginning of this blog! For wafer paper crafting, we recommend Wafer Paper Fine, as this can be bent and folded more easily without tearing.

What Are Transfer Sheets?

There are two types of transfer sheets: - Chocolate Transfer Sheets and Meringue Chocolate Sheets. They both work in the same way and allow you to transfer custom designs such as logos, messages, patterns and even photos directly onto chocolate and meringue.

Our most popular transfer sheets are Chocolate Transfer Sheets and these are becoming increasingly popular with chocolatiers, patisseries, sweet makers, cake decorators and even restaurants for creating stunning desserts and sweet treats!

Chocolate transfer sheets comprise of a thin layer of cocoa butter evenly spread onto a plastic backing sheet, allowing the transfer sheet to feed through an edible printer. To use them, you would first print your design onto the cocoa butter side of the transfer sheet in a mirror image, then pour tempered chocolate over the sheet and allow it to cool. Once the chocolate has set, you can peel away the plastic and your printed image will have transferred onto the chocolate in reverse, leaving you with customised chocolates! Chocolate transfer sheets can also be used with chocolate moulds or chocolate stencils to easily create personalised chocolate pieces and bon bons.

Sweet Artist Chocolate Transfer Sheets and Printed Chocolates Created Using Chocolate Circle Mould 

What Do I Need to Start Edible Printing

Now you've got to grips with what edible printing is, you might be wondering what you need to get started! Here at Edible Print Supplies, we've made this really simple for you and we've put together complete edible printer kits with all the essentials! Which printer kit you select depends on what kind of edible toppers you will be creating, and your preferences on cartridges and additional extras. 

Here's what you will find in all of our Edible Printer Bundles:- 

  • A Canon PIXMA Edible Ink Printer (various models) 
  • Full set of 5 x Edible Ink Cartridges (choice of pre-filled or refillable)
  • If refillable cartridges are chosen - a full set of 100ml Edible Inks (1 x Cyan, 1 x Magenta, 1 x Yellow and 1 x Black) 
  • A selection of Edible Paper - choose between our starter kits containing a mix of different edible papers to try, or our dedicated printers for cakes (with icing sheets), chocolate (with chocolate transfer sheets) or cocktails (with wafer paper).
  • Full Instructions - you will receive the official Canon set-up guide as well as the EPS ‘Edible Printing - How to Get Started Guide’ which is packed with useful information on edible printing and how to get the most out of your edible printer!

Other useful tools and products you may need:-

  • For cleaning your edible printer - you may wish to select one of our edible printer bundles with a cleaning kit (such as the A4 Canon TS705A Edible Printer Starter Kit & Cleaning Bundle) or you can add an Edible Printer Cleaning & Maintenance Kit or our Pre-Filled Edible Printer Cleaning Cartridges on to any bundle (highly recommended!
  • For cutting out your edible toppers and prints - if you're investing in a new edible printer, you want your edible toppers and prints to look professional. The best way to cut your edible toppers is with our cutting tools. Some of our edible printer kits include these, but you can also add them to any other kit, or at a later date too. For more information on cutting your edible prints, see our handy guide here.
  • For storing or sending your edible prints - if you wish to print your edible prints in advance and keep them looking their best before use, or if you plan to send out edible prints to other customers, you will need to make sure you are storing them correctly to avoid deterioration or damage. EPS stock a range of competitively-priced grip-seal bags or cello bags in various sizes for sealing your edible prints and toppers. We also supply lightweight board backed envelopes to send out edible prints if you plan to offer a postal edible printing service. Our envelopes are sturdy but also light enough to keep your postal costs down!

EPS Edible Image Cutting Bundle - for Cutting Edible Toppers and Prints.

All the items listed above can be found throughout the EPS website, and our industry-leading products will help you to kick-start your edible printing journey!

What Software do I Need to Start Edible Printing?

And finally, one last commonly asked question is ‘what software do I need to start edible printing?' The truthful answer is that you don't need any fancy software or specialist edible printing programmes to create edible prints and toppers, you can even do this straight from your phone! As long as you have access to the images you need, which you can find online such as free stock images or purchased digital downloads, you can simply use a familiar programme such as word to format these and print, just like using a regular printer! 

If you wish to design your own edible prints, you may wish to use a specialist image editing software. Our recommended programme to use would be Canva, a free-to-use graphic design tool. Canva is extremely user-friendly, even for beginners! You can access a range of stock images and fonts and make use of frames to create templates for your toppers. It also has a paid-for version if you wish to have access to a greater range of tools. 

We recommend using a PC/Mac to print your images from, as this gives you the greatest range of options and print settings meaning you have greater control over the quality of your prints. However, as all Canon printers sold by EPS connect wirelessly to any device, you can print directly from your phone using AirPrint or by downloading the Canon Print App.

 

Edible ink printers are a versatile tool, allowing you to print onto a range of edible papers to try out new techniques and create endless possibilities for your edible creations! If you still have any questions about edible printing, get in touch with our knowledgable team at sales@edibleprintsupplies.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help with any queries!