Red Icing

Decorating By D77 Updated 16 Feb 2007 , 7:11pm by D77

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D77 Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 7:06pm
post #1 of 15

I would like to make the rainbow cake that is in the course one book this weekend, to practice. Our instructor told us that it is very difficult to make the icing red. I have the Wilton Red Coloring that came in my kit. My question is: What is the trick? I saw that using Americolors or Ateco helps, but I don't think I've seen these products in the stores around here. Are they just available online?
PLEASE HELP

14 replies
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rockii Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 7:11pm
post #2 of 15

When I took course 1 last month the instructor told us to start with pink. Get it as dark pink as you can, and then add your red. I used christmas red, and I did not have to use as much.

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beccakelly Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 7:53pm
post #3 of 15

I saw that using or Ateco helps, but I don't think I've seen these products in the stores around here. Are they just available online?
PLEASE HELP[/quote]

have you tried some local cake decorating stores? i think a lot of the "craft" stores are wilton only. look for smaller businesses that only do cake and candy/cookie supplies. they are more likely to carry those brands.

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sweetlybaked Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 7:58pm
post #4 of 15

I've done it starting w/ pink, but you don't necessarily have to. Use A LOT of the no-taste red, let it sit overnight. And don't worry, if it still looks not red enough, it will darken as it sits out on the cake. My Mack truck is done w/ this tecnique. HTH!

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tyty Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 8:12pm
post #5 of 15

I use Wilton color (until I run out and replace with Americolor) I make a dark pink first then add chinese red and no taste red. I got the chinese red from a local cake supply store. It still takes a lot of color but I find it is a little faster starting with pink.

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ogolds Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 8:18pm
post #6 of 15

Americolor is great. You can get a bright red with only using a little bit of color. I bought mine at a local cake store.

My class instructor also recommended using two different shades of red to create red icing with less dye. Before I had Americolor, I usually used Wilton Christmas Red and No Taste Red; although, I still couldn't get it red enough. Another problem with red is the more color you use, the worse it tastes!

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patton78 Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 8:25pm
post #7 of 15

AMERICOLOR is the answer, I promise you!!! I have the Americolor True Red and it is really truly red! I love it and you do not have to use a lot of it to achieve a nice red. I bought mine here on CC but most speciality cake stores also sell it. I have never had an issue with this red as I did with the Wilton red.

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D77 Posted 15 Feb 2007 , 10:37pm
post #8 of 15

Thanks for your help. I looked for a cake supply store here and I had no luck. I don't know if I just didn't look under the correct place or not. So I am going to try the pink and add red method. Hopefully it will turn out. CC is out of the Americolor right now - so I will have to wait to try that. I was glad to see that it wasn't very expensive.

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leily Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 3:29am
post #9 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by D77

Thanks for your help. I looked for a cake supply store here and I had no luck. I don't know if I just didn't look under the correct place or not.




Where in Iowa are you? I live in East Central iowa just south of I-80 and do not know of any cake supply stores in this area... I do think there is one over near Omaha, but not for sure.

I have looked for one in the DesMoines area also, however not really as hard as I should have when I was there.

I use americolors and start with pink then use the Super Red it seems to work well for me.

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Kayakado Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 2:13pm
post #10 of 15

I used the crusting cream cheese recipe from CC for Valentine's Day and used Wilton Christmas Red and just a little tiny bit of blue (delphinuium or cornflower, can't remember) and it made a nice heart red colored icing. It darkened as it sat. At first, I thought it wouldn't be dark enough but after a hour, it was perfect. The icing was so sweet it offset any bad flavor the coloring may have given the icing. BTW, this frosting was so sweet, I'm unlikely to use it again except for piping decorations of making flowers.

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D77 Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 3:27pm
post #11 of 15

Leily,

I live in the Quad City area. Boarder of IA and IL, east of IA city. I'll have to expand my search... Thanks

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D77 Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 3:29pm
post #12 of 15

Leily,

I live in the Quad City area. Boarder of IA and IL, east of IA city. I'll have to expand my search... Thanks. I bought some Christams red last night. I tried the pink and add red to it but it kind of look like a red-orange. So I am hoping the Christmas red will get me by.

We have a kitchen store in our mall - do you think they may carry some of this stuff?

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toristreats Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 3:38pm
post #13 of 15

You can also add red Kool-Aid powder to the liquid. This gives it a nice base color and helps with the taste issue. After that you add your red food coloring until you get the right color. I can always taste the food coloring in icing and it drives me crazy, but this helps.

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FuturamaFanatic Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 4:43pm
post #14 of 15

Kool-Aid! I will have to try that!

What I do is get some regular old liquid food colouring that you buy at the grocery store and instead of adding water to my crisco (If i have tomake a lot of red or save it for later) I add an equal amount of red food colouring (remember to cover the bowl with saran wrap so you don't get red splatters everwhere). That way I have a decent pink going before I add the Wilton gels.

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D77 Posted 16 Feb 2007 , 7:11pm
post #15 of 15

Thanks for the tips. I think I'll have to try the kool aid trick too....

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