Polka dot birthday cake - what do I do with Royal Icing?

[happymschicken]

Help!

It's my DD's first birthday next week and I want to make her a round pink cake decorated with polka dots and edible flowers.

I'm going to cut the dots out of royal icing and buy the flowers but what I need to know is what do I cover the cake in so the royal icing sticks?

I've seen a tutorial on youtube on how to roll it out and place it on the cake but after that I'm stuck.

Jam, usually apricot, no idea why, warm it gently and sieve to remove the lumps then use a pastry brush to brush it over the cake. This seals the cake and makes it slightly sticky.

Post a picture when you're done!

Strawberry and raspberry jam will probably have seeds in, and are also darker than plain sponge and white icing. Apricot jam is less likely to show through. If you have a choice, use a silicone pastry brush for the jam, it's much easier to clean!

Ah ha! Thanks MrsM that makes complete sense.

Ahhh, I see. I did wonder about Jam.

Thanks. I'll see how I go. If it's not too much of a mess I'll post a pic!

Icing to cake, jam - apricot traditionally, seedless raspberry here due to hating apricot. Rest of jar makes naff kiddy sandwiches for party.

Water or gin and a clean paint brush to stick cut out dots and icing flowers on cake if not piping them.

Excess gin evaporates away, easier nor to get too much and make the colours run (also helps sterilises paint brush, which here won't be new).

That sounds like sugarpaste rather than royal icing?
To stick sugarpaste to sugarpaste just brush on water or use a blob "glue" made by mixing a drop of water in a spoon of icing sugar.
Jam is a bit slidey IMHO.