Hello,

I will so much appreciate any answers here. I'm just starting to paint free hand on cakes and I'm really excited about this. I did my first experiment this weekend and it turned out okay but I know I can make it better. I used plain old gel coloring mixed with water. I think I may have used too much water as there ARE some splotches but...

So my 2 questions are:

1. If you are painting on butter cream should you wait until the surface crusts and gets dry before you paint? I did not do this in my experiment.

2. I read up on using the vodka with the colors. About how much vodka should you mix in with your color? This may be a question that you can't answer and you may just have to feel your way with this.

Thanks so much!
Julie_S

Yes, I would wait until the icing has crusted first.

I use everclear - it has an even higher alcohol content than vodka does, so it evaporates quicker. I also use airbrush colors instead of the gels.

Be sure to post your work so we can see it!

definitely wait until it's crusted.

another way to paint on buttercream is to paint with thinned down buttercream, just take a small amount of your colored buttercream and add water until it's the consistency of paint and paint away.

that's what I did for the squirrel and trees on this squirrel cake, and the water and the shitzu on the lighthouse cakes.

Yeah what Loucinda said.

Thanks all for the tips.
KHalstead, your cakes are VERY, VERY nice!
Julie

Hi again,
I found out just now that Everclear is a high grain alcohol that is not sold in many states. It comes in the 190 proof and the 151 proof version. In PA you need a special permit to buy it. Vodka will have to do for me.

Here is a wikepedia link for anybody who wants to read up on Everclear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29

Yeah I forget that not everyone can get ever clear. You do want to make sure you have an alcohol that is preferably clear and with one of the higher proofs(s), since those evaporate faster.

Yes, I go into KY once a year a buy it so I have it on hand. You cannot buy everclear here in Ohio either.