What are the differences between color flow and royal icing when it comes to making decorations (like the birds in course 2) for a cake? I'd be using them on a buttercream iced cake.

Can color flow be made from scratch or do I have to buy 'color flow mix'? (I have merique powder.... I just don't want to buy a whole can of color flow mix just to play with.)

They are 2 totally different things.. I'd use the color flow for the birds on your cake.. the royal icing you'll make has a bit of a fluffier consistency and can be used to make flowers with .. the color flow is more of a run out method that you use to fill in to make things like your birds, pics on cakes .. it dries very hard and it smoothes out much better than you could get the royal icing to do .. so basically it's color flow for your run out designs and royal icing for your flowers hope this doesn't confuse you more lol

I have used both the color flow and royal icing. colorflow you have to buy the special "color flow" stuff to put in your icing and it is not cheap, it also has to be used within 12-24 hours after mixing it. colorflow takes on brighter colors a bit better and also dries harder than royal. I personally don't use it but I use thinned down royal instead and I have never had a problem with things breaking as long as I have let them dry for 24hours just like you would colorflow pieces.
I make my basic royal icing and use it to outline the details then I thin down the icing 1 drop at a time with warm water so that I get a consistency where the drop dissolves back into the icing within 2-3 seconds, you don't want it too runny or it will be too thin and break easy. I then place it into a piping bag with a number 2 tip for small areas and bigger for the larger areas and fill it in. I use a decorators paint brush to spread it around and get into the little areas. the tip is not to mix it up too much or you get alot of air bubles in it, use a figure 8 motion and go slow. If you do end up with a bunch of air bubbles leave it covered for a few hours. Make sure your icing that you are not using is covered at all times just like anyother royal icing as it dries fast.

the major difference between the two is the colorflow will dry with a sheen to it where royal is flat. Colorflow will also dry harder.


Quote: "color flow" stuff to put in your icing and it is not cheap, it also has to be used within 12-24 hours after mixing it. "

This is not correct. You can store colorflow and use it later. I have used it as much as three weeks later. When storing it make sure it is in an airtight container and also put a piece of saran over the container before putting the lid on it. You just need to mix it again before using.

The comment about having to use the colorflow within 24 hours comes from our Wilton instructor telling us that in course 2. I have only used the colorflow once because I didn't want to buy yet another product from Wilton when I could get similar results with something else, that's all

I am going to be decorating cookies tomorrow. I am a beginner - have heard horror stories about trying to find the right consistency in royal icing   is color flow easier?