I really love the look of hand painted fondant cakes, and would like to give it a try myself. What is the best type of colorings to use to get that opaque paint- like look? I have seen many that look just like acrylic/oil paints were used!

Hi
I have painted on fondant, and all I use is vodka and food gel or paste coloring.

My personal favorite to use is airbrush colors. No air brush required.

Hello! I have always wanted to try that also..and I finally did last night. I covered a small 6" cake in fondant..also a first for me. I used a small dollop of gel food color and approx 2 teaspoons of vodka, mixed them together and got a thin "paint". I used a small, new paint brush and started to apply the paint to the cake. I was really happy with the results. I tried out black gel color last night and it was very opaque after going on the cake. I was glad to see that. My hands aren't as steady as they were 15 years ago in art school, but I blame that on being out of practice.
Give it a try! It's a beautiful technique for cakes.

The opaque look comes from mixing powdered colour with cocoa butter, I use pure cooa butter thinned with a tiny drop of cooking oil. gel colours and vodka/water/dipping solution have a more watercolour-like look (they can be absorbed by your fondant too which is annoying if you make a mistake-cocoa butter painting can often be scraped off with a sharp knife barely leaving a mark)
Hope you have fun painting!

HI all,

Crazy-Gray, where do you purchase the pure cocoa butter, and does it require refridgeration?

I can't wait to try this.

Hazel

I have made an opaque paint that drys with a matte finish by mixing gel color, one drop of white coloring and enough powdered sugar to thicken it.
It behaves a lot like acrylic paint, the kind you get in the tube.
You can eve get brush strokes and texture with it if you make it thick enough.

I also use airbrush colors like AZCouture mentioned when I need a more watercolor look.

I got mine from ebay (UK)- just searched 100percent food grade cocoa butter, its said to keep 6 months refrigerated but i'm skeptical, I think it would last for ever as its only vegetable fat really! (I'm very happy to be corrected though!)

tips:
A little cocoa butter goes a long way, melt a little in a small glass jar, mix in colour with a brush and sit the jar in warm water whilst working with it.
In adding oil- too much stops it from hardening when cool, too little and it hardens on the brush- for me 1 heaped teaspoon of grated cocoa butter to three drops oil works
For a more opaque colour add a little white powdered colour.

HTH

Don't forget you can also use colored buttercream like oils.