I need to make a lot of black frosting, for 2 tiers of a 3 tiered cake. What is the best type of coloring for this. Paste or gel. I have used paste for years, but wondered if gel would be better and faster. I need to make the cake in just 2 weeks. Help Please!!!! Chrysb

I find the powdered color works best for black. It still takes a lot of it, but it gets pretty black.

I just use the Wilton black paste food coloring...just make sure you start with a chocolate buttercream, and it shouldn't take a lot to get it there! If you have any trouble, you can also add moss green and royal blue in addition to the black.

Good luck!

For my Darth VAder cake (in my photos) I used Wilton's black. I had to use almost the entire jar to color it though. I also had to add some yellow because it had sort of a purple tint to it (in case that happens to you too). But, if you want to look at it...it's pretty darn black.

I don't think you can beat Americolor Super Black gel color to get black. It works really well - even if you start with white icing.

If I were you I would buy the Americolor super black they sell on here. It works great. Especially if you don't want chocolate icing to start with. Wilton brand takes too much to make it a true black.

I use the Americolor Super Black--added to Chocolate BC or even to white BC--and it gets nice and dark without the purple undertones I got with Wilton's black.

When doing dark colors, I have found it helps to let the icing sit for at least a few hours before using to let the color intensify.

RedPanda

I start with chocolate icing and then add A LOT of black paste, let it sit over night and the colour gets darker.

I have yet to have a mickey mouse cake with grey ears....they are always BLACK BLACK

My question isn't about black icing but white. How do you get your buttercream to be white? Mine is always off white. Do I add white coloring to it or use more crisco and less butter. It's good to know about the black someday I may need it.

On the white BC question............do you use clear vanilla or the regular. The regular will cause your icing to be that color and so will butter flavoring if you use that. Wilton carries a colorless vanilla and butter flavoring you can use. Also...Meringue powder helps maintain that "true" white color. I am just a hobby cake decorator, but I use these things and never have trouble with keeping my icing white white.

JILBRY & GaPeach, I use clear wilton extract but still tend to get the off-white coloring. Adding the merigine poweder how much would I add and wouldn't that stiffen the buttercream?

If you're using butter, that will color the icing an off-white or light yellow color. I haven't tried it, but others have had success with adding a *tiny* bit of violet to the icing, which neutralizes the yellow.

RedPanda

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Chrysb