Cake decorating with a substrate-supported edible material printed with an image by an ink jet printer

Abstract

An edible film and method of using same for decorating foodstuffs, in particular baked goods, wherein anyone can easily, inexpensively and artistically decorate foodstuffs. The edible film according to the present invention is composed of an edible polymer film which is preferably releasably mounted upon a flexible substrate to provide a reinforced edible film. The edible film is peelably released from the substrate to provide decorations for the foodstuff. The edible film may be decoratively prepared into predetermined decorations prior to distribution, which may include being pre-printed, pre-cut, colored, or being of pre-selected opacity and sheen. Pre-printing may be accomplished by any suitable printing process utilizing edible inks. Alternatively, the edible film may be distributed in a not yet finalized decoration form, wherein finalization is left up to the user. For example, the reinforced edible film may be distributed without being pre-printed or only partially pre-printed, wherein the user controls subsequent printing, writing, drawing or otherwise marking upon the edible film, such as by use of edible ink writing instruments. Further, the user may purchase sheets of the reinforced edible film and thereafter cut the reinforced edible film sheets into shapes defined by the user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of decorating a foodstuff comprising printing a decoration onto an edible web with an ink jet printer and thereafter placing the edible web on the foodstuff to thereby decorate same.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming the edible web on a substrate before printing the decoration thereon, and separating the edible web from the substrate after printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising printing with edible ink.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming an opaque edible web before printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising forming the opaqe edible web on a substrate before printing the decoration thereon, and separating the opaque edible web from the substrate after printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising marking the edible substrate with an additional decoration after printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         7 . A method of decorating an edible material comprising printing a decoration onto the edible material with an ink jet printer to thereby decorate same.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising placing the edible material on an underlying support before printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the edible material is an edible web, the method further comprising separating the edible web from the support after printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising printing with edible ink.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising forming an opaque edible material before printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising forming the opaqe edible material on a support before printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising separating the opaque edible material from the substrate after printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising marking the edible material with an additional decoration after printing the decoration thereon.  
     
     
         15 . A decorated foodstuff comprising: 
 a foodstuff;    an edible web decorated with an edible ink image printed thereon with an ink jet printer, the decorated web being on the foodstuff whereby to decorate the foodstuff.    
     
     
         16 . The decorated foodstuff of  claim 15 , the web being opaque.  
     
     
         17 . An edible material decorated with an edible ink image printed thereon with an ink jet printer.  
     
     
         18 . The edible material of  claim 17 , the edible material being opaque.  
     
     
         19 . The edible material of  claim 17  being on a support.  
     
     
         20 . The edible material of  claim 19 , the edible material being defined by a web having the printed decoration thereon, the support being a substrate removably supporting the web.