Hi,

 

  I need to make an  damask cake with black royal icing? I was wondering if there was a trick I can use so my royal icing don't taste food coloring. I have the super black from americolor.

 

Thanks

I've found that for super dark colors, its quicker and easier to use powdered color.  It doesn't thin out the icing, and you dont have to add as much.  

 

If you're stuck on using the gel color, just make the royal icing a lil thicker than normal because the gel will thin it out because of how much you add.  

AThanks, I will go look for powder color tomorrow then.

AI use sugarflair super max concentrate gel. Like pastry girl says, make ur RI a but thicker to begin with, I always get super black icing and it doesn't taste funky x x

colour it with cocoa powder first, then add black?

A

Oooooh good tip

A

That'll work with buttercream but if you want the royal icing to harden don't use cocoa; it will never harden(don't ask how I know that).

Oh really, i never knew that - away to try that tonight aswell!  Thankfully you said that!

AYes I suppose that would make sense, cocoa has lipids in it which would interfere with the protein structure in the egg white. X x

What if I only need to stencil a cake would not that be better if the royal icing does not harden that much?

AI use Americolor Super Black for coloring royal icing, it always darkens as it sits. I'll add enough to get the royal icing to a dark gray and let it sit for a few hours. It darkens up a lot. If you need to, add a touch more before you stencil. Works for me.