this may be a dumb question but does anyone know if airbrushing black on white buttercream will turn out looking ok? I have a cake that is yellow, red, and black and want to know if it will be better just alternating colored icing or if airbrushing it is possible.  thanks.

hmm--airbrushing does work

depends on a few things

it can bead up on some icings

you would want to maybe do several coats

just depends on the icing and of course use air brush colors

on fondant sure

on american buttercream yes

on meringue type buttercreams not the best idea for a dark black--smokey dark gray yes--almost black

AK8 is so right! Sometimes, airbrush will show ever single divot & blemish.

 Don't know if this will help but...I'm new to airbrushing myself (and many other areas of caking) and am practicing for a friend's cake next month. I used "Indydebi's" buttercreme recipe and tried to airbrush a stencil using black. Being new to airbrush & the stencil-let's just say it didn't work well. The color seemed to stay well, it didn't run (note-I was practicing on a covered dummy and it is a crusting BC) but for the detail work of a stencil it came out very badly. This could be just my inexperience-perhaps not having the pressure adjusted correctly. The overall look of the colors did come out nicely and it would be something I would try again--after more practice! Good luck!

i airbrush black on white bc all the time, no problems at all. the key is one or two light coats. actually think its better than black icing. it wont turn your mouth, lips, and teeth black. but does show every imperfection. i also use an air pressure regulator and dual action airbrush. im just used to using that set up. (i do custom paint jobs on motorcycles and cars/trucks. not with the same airbrush, of course. i have 2 separate set ups 5 miles apart, so no worries about contamination, lol) i had a compressor that i just pushed a button and it kicked on. i hated it. it pulsated and only had one pressure, probably around 8-10 psi. wasnt enough for pearls and shimmers to get thru. i know another cake decorator that spent 3x's more on her kopykake set up and i hate it. no control over anything. i have way more control with my setup which allows me to do more custom work with it. sorry for such a long reply, just giving my 2 cents. well, more like 12 cents, lol. good luck