I need to make red icing for a cake and is there any way to make it without having to use tons of red food colouring or is it just inevitable, I need to add a ton of food colouring. Would it work better if I add pink food colouring first and then red??

Thanks!!

Yeah, you really do need alot of coloring to achieve a true red. I have found that if you make the icing a bit stiffer then what you need, the additional of liquid won't break it down. I also mix all my 'reds' to get a really deep color and I make it at least 2 days ahead since the color will really deepen as it sits.

I have made red icing once & I had to use the whole jar of Wilton red just to achieve the color I needed...however, I have heard some ladies on here say that Americolor red really helps & you don't have to use as much. Hopefully someone that has used the Americolor will post on here for you. Good luck!

That is good to know about making it ahead. I was going to make it tonight and decorate the cake tomorrow. I will use all my reds then too!! Thanks!!

I would love to use Americolor but I cannot seem to find it here in Winnipeg, or other places in Canada in general.

You could start by making a chocolate BC icing. Then start adding your red. It don't take as much coloring then. Def not a whole thing of red. And let it sit overnight if possible. The color deepens then. HTH. Good luck!

little tip for the next time...I am a procrastinator SO .. anytime I have white icing left over from a cake project I color it red or black. I let it set out on the counter for a few days and then pop it in the freezer with a label.

Next time I need one of those colors I just get it out of the freezer when I start the cake and I am ready to go!!

One thing I found helps...not sure why but it did. When I was mixing my frosting, I poured the liquid food color (all I had was McCormicks) straight into the water I was using for the frosting. I did like a
75 food color/ 25 water mix. Truest color I've ever gotten. Plus it was SO much easier to incorporate it and I didn't worry about over mixing.

I was having trouble getting red, but now I start with burgandy and then add no taste red. I also make it up a couple of days in advance. The longer it sets the reder it gets. Good luck.

I read somewhere on this forum that you can achieve a really true red by starting with yellow, then orange, then red. She said you will use less of the actual red that way(so I would assume less bitter taste). I haven't had to do red since then to try it for myself, but others replied back saying that it works. HTH!