I am hoping for a miracle here. Is there an easier way to make red icing? I dumped 8$ worth of coloring into my icing to get red. I am praying that there is a better way to do this....or I might have decide that I can't afford red icing.....

Yes there is a much easier and cheaper way. Get some chefmaster liqua gel colors. They are concentrated so you use very little compared to all the others. It wont make your icing bitter and you will get true red, black or any other color immediately. No need to let it sit to intensify. I buy it locally but you can find it on online if you do a google search.

Start by dying your icing pink, yellow or orange before adding your red color. Also, one can use any red KoolAid
All of this *must* be done at least the night before needing to use it. These dark, intense colors need time for the color to 'develop'.

I hope I never have to do this, thankfully I have talked everyone who has asked for red or black out of it! Accent colors people, accent colors!

The easiest way of all... buy an 8lb tub from Sam's Club for $9. I use it only for accents so I'm not worried about the taste.

I am not sure how much you need, but here is my story. One Saturday night I needed 1 more cup of red. The store I buy it from was already close until Monday. I went to Michaels and bought the $1.70 wilton red icing. I mixed it with my white home made BC, and let it sit overnight in the refrigirator. Next morning it was a pretty bright red. Since then if I need a little (no more than 1 cup) I do that. 2 or 3 days in advance is better. If I need more than 1 cup I buy it already done. I am glad this crazy idea worked. Hope this help.

Ok, I like all these ideas. A few questions for Y'all. Is this chefmaster stuff different than wilton gel colors? Does it work better? I am going to trust you on this one, but am curious why it would take less coloring to start from pink? Would I use coloring for the pink too? or do you mean to buy pink icing?

Thanks for listening

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Yes, chefmaster is different then Wilton. It is concentrated and far superior to Wilton or Americolor in my opinion. I wont use anything else since I found this stuff. I don't have time to wait a day for colors to darken.

twooten173, you can buy red icing already mixed up from Sam's? I had no idea. What else do they have?

Awesome! I'm in need of a couple of frosting sheets for a last minute request this week. Thanks for the info.

Red food coloring in the US 'came under fire' as a cancer causing ingredient some yrs back. Since then there has been lots of trouble getting a nice red color w/what we have to work with.
It makes sense it will take less red paste/gel/liqua gel or whatever when you start w/another color. The more coloring one has to add the more bitter and softer the icing gets. Be using a 'base color' (red, orange, yellow etc) it will take less of the strong paste therefore the color will not be bitter or change the consistency of the icing.

Using the Wilton tube icing is a great way to start I have often suggested that. Cut off the back/flat end and scrape the icing out; mix w/your orange, yellow, pink or white. Definitely a great tip. It also works great for black, or any other dark color: brown, blue etc.

Again, all of this is best done at least the night before needing it.

I've heard that chocolate frosting is easier to dye and you get a much deeper red... does anyone know if theres any truth to this?

Just like black, it's best to let it rest overnight to darken on it's own.