Hi There - I'm a new poster and outside your normal dessert looking cake, I'm a new decorater. I was practicing icing cakes smooth and then piping with black royal icing.

First practice cake - 2 tiered butter cream, simple design - piped some flowers and a few swirly thingys. I then pulled in the flower petals with a paint brush. I did refrigerate after I was done....but, then the black royal icing faded.

Second practice cake - just a 6 inch, double layer. I tried a different butter cream to experiment with taste - piped a random flower, swirly design again. Black looked pretty and shiny...I put in refridg. Royal Icing didn't fade...but it for sure ran down the sides of the cake. Did I thin it too much?

So - fading and running? What's the scoop? Anyone have pointers? I'd really appreciate it!

Jen

My guess is that its because you're using royal icing on buttercream. Fats/butter/shortening break down royal icing making it soft. Which is why when you make royal icing you need grease free tools. Pipe instead on buttercream with black buttercream. I use royal, however, to pipe on fondant cakes most times.

Just what shalderman said-I don't use r.i. on bc.

Thanks for the tip...I've read that Wilton Royal Icing recipe a bazillion times now...and you'd think the "use grease free tools" would have sunk in with the fact that I was using BUTTER cream???? Nope! What a nerd!

I don't have much experience with different frostings. I ventured into Sugar Cookies & tried out Royal Icing for the first time & just thought the colors took nicely. So, I thought I'd give it a whirl on cake.

Well, lesson learned! Thanks so much!

You can certainly use royal icing on buttercream. You can pipe royal icing on top of oil/shortening/fat and it will be absolutely fine (I've been teaching my Wilton students to oil their foil when piping royal icing flowers in the lily nail for 11 years now). And of course you can pipe royal icing stringwork on top of buttercream, or do brushed embroidery with royal icing on buttercream, and many other things. It is when fat gets introduced into royal icing WHILE IT IS MIXING that causes royal icing to break.

The problem was with putting royal icing in the fridge. Don't do that!

I do a lot boarders with RI ,especially on buttercream cakes and have never had a problem.My cakes don't go in the fridge though.

As far as your second cake went, you may have thinned it too much if it was running. But putting it in the fridge will give your problems too.

I have definitely piped royal onto buttercream with no problems. I do a lot of royal icing transfers also without a problem.

If your cake gets any type of condensation on it, the royal icing colors will run. Typically I never refrigerate them and NEVER put them in the freezer!

Guess I've just not had good luck with piping right on BC, however I have done transfers of royal and obviously royal flowers (however these also get softer eventually). But I'm wondering why do you guys use royal to do drop string or pipe borders on a buttercream cake? Is there a purpose for this?

Buttercream stringwork is fragile and breaks easily. Royal icing dries hard and there's no real danger of breakage during transport (talking about stringwork piped on cake, not bridgework and other super-delicate intricate techniques piped with teeny tiny tips).

Okay...so, I guess the thing is when to use Royal Icing and when to use Buttercream for piping. I don't remember if I had a filling that I was concerned about sitting out...but that may have been the case. As, these cakes were a bunch of experiments mashed into one cake. Cake flavors- filling flavors - different BC recipes, etc.

Feels like - as long as my filling isn't a cream filling, I shouldn't have to be concerned about refrigeration & therefore can use the royal icing for added swirlies and such. As long as I'm mixing it properly and of course not thinning it too much.

If I have a cake with filling that is temperature sensitive...feels like I should stick to BC piping and/or MMF neat-o things. Just to be safe...

As I develop my style, I'm finding that the traditional BC flowers and such aren't my thing. I think I'm gonna be into piping, stenciling, and probably some added MMF neat-o things. And, of course... I love that ribbon as a newbie too. (Covers some goofs!)

Thanks for all the info....I appreciate it!

Thanks to everyone for thier posts! I appreciate the input.

My cousin's birthday cake is going to be music themed and I thought sugar cookie's on sticks with his favorite band logo's would be cool. I may attempt the styrofoam fist of rock too. Not sure. These sugar cookies will give me a chance to at least practice piping using royal icing. Granted not on BC but if I have some left I will definitely take another stab at it! I have some left over rolled BC in the fridge too. Maybe I'll try that too.

Thanks again

my question is how did you make the black royal icing? i have a wedding cake on august 22nd with LOTS of scroll designs. I'm guessing the best way to pipe will be with royal icing but she wants it jet black with cherry red accents.

go figure LOL

You just add an extra tablespoon of meringue powder or an extra egg white to your royal icing recipe, and use Americolor Super Black to color it black. Simple.

how about the powdered colors? I believe i have CK products black. i use it for coloring chocolate if I'm doing chocolate melts. I thought maybe that would help hold up the royal icing. I'm doing piping with it.

Evmaire thanks for your question, it answer mine to. Cakepro thank you so much I need all your answers I am going to do castle cake with buttercream and want to use royal icing to put it together. if you would answer one more please. cracking foundant what to do? it a crown to go with the castle cake thanks sammie