I've not used black icing much because I don't like gray teeth. However, I've been asked to do a white bc cake with black piping designs. I have noticed that many black and white designs mentioned using royal icing for their piping. Is that because you can take off the icing and not eat it or is it to keep the design from bleeding? Any tips for doing this kind of cake would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

I had a bad experience with piping on a chilled cake with royal icing onto SMBC. The icing just ran down the cake. I think you'll probably be better off piping with buttercream on a buttercream cake

I honestly don't know why people use royal icing on a bc cake for piping. All I see is another icing recipe to make.

If the piping isn't that much, then I'm sure it'll be fine to leave on the cake. You might not like it, but the customer wants it. This past weekend the store I work at had to do a cake for a little girl that wanted her cake iced in black buttercream. I'm glad I didn't have to do it, someone else got the order, but I can't imagine being at that party.

I have piped Black BC onto BC without any problems at all.

To get a true black BC, does it take alot of color as I imagine it would?

Do I need to start with chocolate BC, then add black??? Does black taste bad??

I've given up on making really black icing so I just buy the Wilton in a tube, squeeze it out into a bowl and thin it with some black piping gel. This way I can use it in whatever bag I choose and I have more control and less pain than with the tube. This works great for writing. I made a cake for practice this past weekend; I used royal icing to make lines like notebook paper, used a VIVA paper towel to lower it into the crusted buttercream and then did the writing. It worked great but after 3 days it started to 'bleed'. The cake was a moist devil's food. Sorry, that was probably too much information.

You don't have to start with chocolate BC. I've done 2 cakes w/black piping -- a pink with peace signs and a white with music notes (both in my gallery). I just used Americolor Super Black and it tasted fine.

I always start with chocolate bc and add the wilton paste color to make black icing. It takes a lot less icing color that way.

You can start with Chocolate BC or I have started with just tinting the BC brown first, then add the Black. This way you don't use as much of the black and I don't see the typical "purpley blue" tint to it either.

You shouldn't have any problem with bleeding if you make sure any handling of your cake after decorating does not cause condensation. If the cake gets any condensation or big temp changes then you may have bleeding problems.

I need to pipe blacking icing on a white fondant cake. I'm not sure what to use... Buttercream or Royal Icing. I have to make this cake tomorrow... any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

I am so nervous when I have to pipe black on white because the black is not forgiving. I have found that a thin black royal icing works a bit better. If I do make a little boo-boo, then once the royal dries I can pick it off with less notice. I've even used a slightly damp paper towel to remove the black residue with good results. Buttercream black seems to be a lot harder to disguise if you make a little mistake.

Good luck with your cake!

great thread! thanks everyone for the great info, this will really help me for a cake I'm doing at the end of this month.

White icing with red and black piped scrolls and swirls

So sorry - should have read the OP's post more carefully. I just assumed it was a fondant covered cake.

Buttercream piping on buttercream, royal on fondant when you are piping in black.