Photo cakes became popular around ten years ago. Instead of ordering a conventional cake with a picture or scene crafted out of icing, the customer provides the cake shop with a photograph of his or her choice. The photograph is placed on the cake after it is baked, and of course, it can be eaten along with the cake.
How is this possible? The photograph is printed on non-toxic edible icing paper using edible inks made of food colours! The printer used for this process is the same as the one used for printing documents. However, here it is used exclusively to print edible photographs.
The paper used is made of rice, potato or corn starch. The paper made from rice or potato starch is thicker and is visible as a layer on top of the cake. The one made from cornstarch dissolves into the cake, leaving the photograph behind.
Photo cakes are much more expensive than normal cakes since the paper and ink are costly and the process needs a dedicated printing machine.
Picture Credit : Google