have been trying to dye my buttercream (red) but am having bother as to why it looks like the dye isn't soaking into the mixture? It is going red but it would seem theres like streaks of dye running right through it giving it a two tone effect.

I have mixed and mixed and even got the electric mixer out thinking i'm not mixing it enough but it just doesn't seem to even itself out?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

What consistancy of icing did you start with? If you started with a soft med or thin and then added alot of coloring to get the red I have found it throws the balance between liquid and powder sugar. It seperates.

Just add in some more powder sugar or some cornstarch. That has always helped me.

When I make dark colors I always start with thicker icing, to make up for the extra liquid added with the coloring.

What type of buttercream (ABC vs. I/SMBC) and coloring (thin water based vs. paste water based vs. oil based) are you using?

its not thin the consistency and its not thick - its ideal to pipe and doesn't run or anything. (if anything its probably near to thin so i will try adding more icing sugar - thanks)

I'm sorry i'm new to this but i don't know what (ABC vs. I/SMBC) is my buttercream is just icing sugar, tad of vanilla & butter.

I was using liquid colouring but found it did just this to yesterday bought some paste and its done exactly the same.

thanks for your help so far

ABC - American Butter Cream
Typically Crisco/Butter, Powder Sugar, liquid and flavoring.

IMBC - Itilain Meringue Butter Cream
Egg whites, sugar, butter and flavoring.

SMBC = Swiss meringue buttercream

thats happened to me before too.. i've realized that it happens when i sort of over whip my swiss meringue buttercream (is that even possible?) but when i remelt it a bit and whip it again, it rights itself..

good tip I was given was to make it a day or two ahead of time...it always works for red icing for me.