Abstract: A method of decorating various confectionary food items such as cakes, pies and the like which includes the steps of placing a transparent shield over a selected design to be transferred to the food item, placing a sheet of thin transfer medium over the shield and design to be traced, tracing said design on the transfer medium using edible ink, placing the transfer medium on the food item to be decorated with the colored side down, and placing a damp pad on the exposed back face of the transfer medium, thereby causing the traced design to be transferred to the food item.