I'm going to make a few birthday cakes now during winter to my closest family..... what do you usually use for writing on cakes? Gel colors? Royal icing or something else? What is the best?

Thank you

markers work well. you can get food grade ones or even regular markers are fine since they are safe if a child should put them in thier mouth.

Whatever you want - paint with gel colours or dusts, royal icing, bc, chocolate, edible markers... All depends on the look.
xx

Buttercream in a pastry bag works great, or an air brush (that takes a little practice) It all depends on the look you want. Since you have several you want to make, try different things and see what you like best!

I use buttercream sometimes thinned to a soupy consistency.

thank you all I am going to experiment with all the holidays and family birthdays I'll have enough to try it all ))) thanks again best regards to you all

Food markers work very well, but you can also paint on the fondant by using petal / luster dusts mixed with either PGA or lemon extract. Alphabet cookie cutters work well too!

and thinned out fondant can be piped as well.
xx

I've never heard of thinning fondant to pipe with it, I'm intrigued. What do you use to thin it?

Just water. Doesn't take much! Just mash it in til it's pipeable - handy for blending seams too.
xx

Huh - I am going to try that tip!!

Thanks! I'll hafta give that a try

Wait...can you really use Crayola markers?

you *can* but i dont think the health dept would be over the moon about it. non toxic is not the same as edible. best saved for figures etc that wont get eaten.
xx

Well, one cake lady told me one time that you can use the NON-TOXIC felt tip markers when writing on fondant for a smooth look. I tried it and it worked. I used it on this cake.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1886752.html

It came out beautifully!