I decorated a cake yesterday with purple icing (Mardi Gras) and I noticed that spots of the icing are turning blue and some even pink!!! Does this normally happen? I have never made purple icing before this dark and have this happen. I used the wilton colors. Thank goodness it looks kind of cool for a Mardi Gras cake. Any other cake and I would crying!

Any thoughts?

bj

Did you use the purple or mix red and blue to get the purple? Sometimes I have problems with the Wilton colors, especially when I try to get a dark blue or purple, spots seem to come out. I've seen a lot of people rave about the Americolor - I think I'm about ready to switch.

BJFranco, I'm sorry that happened to you! I had a Darth Vader turn from black to purple overnight once. He didn't look so intimidating in purple!

What recipe of buttercream did you make? I was just reading in the Whimsical Bakehouse book a few days ago that they recommend using the candy colour for their buttercream to avoid having the colour 'bead'.

Just a thought....

LOL! I had just the opposite problem! I had blue icing turn purple! I used Wilton cornflower blue in IMBC on friday. I came out a light purple color. Definitely wasn't blue. I have to say though--- The color was even, just not blue

i had this problem with Wilton purple also. check out my flip flops cake. I was so mad!!!

I had this problem with fondant. I had to redo a cake (dummy) three times because the purple faded to blue, and not evenly either- some pinkinsh areas, etc. I redid it the second time with Wilton again, and the same thing happened. That's when I got the advice to use Americolor. I did it the third time and it's still great (2 months later).

I've also read that if you use milk as your thinning liquid with blue and purple frostings, it helps the color stay true. I think I read it at Earlene's site. Direct light can also sometimes effect food colorings in funny ways. I use Americolor with no problems though

It is a fact that Purple icing will turn if you do not keep it from light. The light affects the coloring and turns it.

Thanks everyone! For some reason I did not get a notification email that I had responses to my question.......my feelings were getting hurt ....lol

To answer some of the questions: I used the Wilton (crisco) recipe for BC icing, water in lieu of milk and straight purple coloring.

Well.....after hearing all these responses I think I am going to switch to Americolor for sure now. I do not want this happening again!!!!

Tastycakes: I had to laugh about your purple Darth Vader. I am sorry that it happened but when you said he did not look so intimidating in purple I had to laugh out loud.

Thanks again!
bj

Some of the colors ( deep ones) tend to fade in the light. Especialy the sunlight, you need to keep them out of the light as much as possible.

In 1990 FDA changed our red coloring. They removed one of the dyes that was in the red food coloring. This started our problems with red food coloring. Since this time red isn't as good. We know red & blue makes purple. Since the red is weaker, & fades out sooner, we then have a blue rose, not a purple. Also remember to dissolve popcorn salt in your liquid before you add to icing. If you don't you will have spots in icing. I use bottle water if using water in my icing due to minerals. This can cause coloriong in our icing to turn. I agree that milk is better than regular water. So use bottle water or milk when making purple. I also like the Americolor the best.

I dont know what causes it but I had the flowers on a wedding cake turn from lavender to blue before.

Never thought of the water before...........hmmmmm......will start using bottle water to see if that helps.

Thanks!
bj