Black Fondant - Colour It Or Paint It???
Decorating By PurplePetunia Updated 14 Nov 2016 , 5:37pm by antonia74
Which would be easier to get a nice black fondant - to knead in some gel paste colour? (I only have Wilton)
OR
To use the gel colour to paint over my pieces?
If I did paint it, would it come out looking like a smooth black??
Thanks! 
I would paint it but I think the dry, powdered coloring is best for that. I don't know if you'll get a nice black using gels or if it'll dry right. The Wilton one also has a greenish hue to it when thinned but you could try it out on a sample piece. Maybe thin it just the tiniest bit using something that evaporates quickly?
I use Americolor for my black now, but I did used to paint the Wilton Black on, thinned with just a drop or two of vodka. Lisa is right about the colouring going grey, then a weird aqua blue as you kneed it in. It just doesn't work! 
The more you add, the more it stays the same.
Here is one of my first carved cakes 
from 1997? I painted the black on the fondant by hand for this taxi....
Click the word "Download" below to the right!!!
Well you know, I have used the Wilton black in Wilton fondant and it was fine. I do stir the jar before using it because I find that the colour pigments tend to settle funny and need to be mixed every time you use it. It did go very black and stay very black and I did knead the colour in. However certain fondants do have yellow oxide in them, McCall's is notorious for this and this will indeed affect your colours. For example some blues will go green and so on. They were contacted about this issue and are aware of it. I remember when it first came up, a decorator friend of mine, Labrat, had the worst time of it with every colour she was making turning out a totally different colour.
But the Wilton black will work very well with their fondant, in fact I have some that I made over three months ago that is still dark black. But do store it out of any form of direct light.
I tend to use Wilton's fondant for decorations but not for covering a cake.
Just my experience.
Hugs Squirrelly
I would use Americolor if you have it. You might want to try MMF and add the color to the melted MM before you add the powdered sugar. I have used the Wilton paste before and kneaded it in to Satin Ice Fondant and it worked great but it did take a lot and was very painful for my hands.
i would knead it in. you can aslo paint but the problem i found with painting is the huge mess if people eat it . Especailly kids who might stick their fingers there and then wipe black fingers in their party clothes etc. mouth will be totally black if eaten. at least if it is kneaded in it is not so bad.you need to find a good color and use a lot of it. I heard many people use brown chock. fondant as a base to make black. i have always made from white. You need to use a lot of color though. and sometimes the fondant really gets sticky and soft if too much color added but then powdered sugar helps.
here is my kneaded black in the boat.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&member_id=14192&cat=0&pos=27
ps. it is pain to make the black black at least in my opinion. and don't forget to use gloves otherwise you will be walking around for a week with black hands 
I found the trick was getting a small amount of fondant the colour I wanted, then adding this small amount to the larger amount, seems to blend in better. I agree though, for any colouring you add, you need to add more powdered sugar or it sticks to your hands and gets to be messy.
Oh gosh and warn people that when they eat these dark coloured fondants, they will quite possibly end up with funny coloured bowel movements. Maybe not a nice thing to say but very true and some people will really get a fright if they aren't expecting it. Hhmn, more info than they might want to know, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly
Luckily in Australia we can buy fondant already colored black. I used it for this cake. It is a bit expensive, i have found another type of fondant that comes in green and red and i've been told that the two mixed together come very close to black. I am making a gamecube cake next week and im going to try this, i will let you know how it goes.
Cheers
Nati
Nati, that is adorable, what a sweet cake, well done!
Hugs Squirrelly
Thank you everyone for all your help!!
And thanks for all the lovely pictures.
Unfortunately, I don't have Americolors. Only Wilton colours. I think I could get my hands on CakeCraft colours. Anyone know of it??
I will definitely try kneading some of the Wilton gel into the fondant first, since some of you have had success with it before.
I should have mentioned that I only need a small piece, enough to make three flat circles.
Thanks again for everyone's help!
It's much appreciated!
If you have an airbrush you can airbrush it in layers for a nice black,Just a thought!!
I have only used Cakecraft for the red and it worked great. I am sure the black will work great too, just remember you are better off colouring a small amount and once you get it the right colour, knead it into your fondant and add more as needed. You will need to add some more powdered sugar as you go along as the colour will make the fondant sticky.
Hugs Squirrelly
I have only used Cakecraft for the red and it worked great. I am sure the black will work great too, just remember you are better off colouring a small amount and once you get it the right colour, knead it into your fondant and add more as needed. You will need to add some more powdered sugar as you go along as the colour will make the fondant sticky.
Hugs Squirrelly
Ahhh! Good tip!
Thanks!
Please post and let us know how the Cake Craft black works out and how your fondant turns out.
Hugs Squirrelly
Here is my follow up from my previous post. Still havent done the GameCube cake, but i did make a dodgy looking batman. Here he is. For those in Australia or those able to get their hands on ORCHARD icing, this is how i got my black. I bought red Orchard icing, and green Orchard icing.Mixed half and half and voila, it came out a charcoal grey colour. After i let it sit for a while it developed to black!!
WHOOHOO i was so happy, because the Orchard is relatively cheap to buy, and i am going to get in touch with the company so that they make it themselves and save me having to mix it.
Nati
OH and before i forget, i piped the bottom with the fondant as well. I put some in a bowl and added a bit of water at a time, mixing it well until i got a royal icing consitancy. This is a great trick to get your piping to perfectly match the colour of your fondant. Im certainly going to be doing this again.
Perfectly wonderful Batman, wow!
Hugs Squirrelly
Oh gosh and warn people that when they eat these dark coloured fondants, they will quite possibly end up with funny coloured bowel movements. Maybe not a nice thing to say but very true and some people will really get a fright if they aren't expecting it. Hhmn, more info than they might want to know, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly
hahaha that is true! I made a very dark green lizard for a kids birthday party and everyone told me afterwards about the "end" results a day or two later.
Should we put disclaimer on our cakes? hahahaha
Oh gosh and warn people that when they eat these dark coloured fondants, they will quite possibly end up with funny coloured bowel movements. Maybe not a nice thing to say but very true and some people will really get a fright if they aren't expecting it. Hhmn, more info than they might want to know, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly
hahaha that is true! I made a very dark green lizard for a kids birthday party and everyone told me afterwards about the "end" results a day or two later.
Should we put disclaimer on our cakes? hahahaha
Hahahaha! That is such a perfect way to put it, I couldn't think of a nice way to word that, but I think I will have to use your words in the future. "End results", that is priceless! And gosh it is so true!
Thanks, may I borrow that quote?
Hugs Squirrelly
I believe Satin Ice makes black fondant... If you have an airbrush, I would airbrush the cake black.
Heehee, gosh, sorry, but I had to read your post twice before I realized you were talking about Satin Ice. I was reading it as "Satan Ice", geesh, better go get my eyes checked!
Hugs Squirrelly
Heehee, gosh, sorry, but I had to read your post twice before I realized you were talking about Satin Ice. I was reading it as "Satan Ice", geesh, better go get my eyes checked!
Hugs Squirrell
hahahaha I had to laugh when I read your post as well, as I also read that post as Satan. maybe it has to do with the color black or maybe we just enhale too much powered sugar...
Hahahaha! That is such a perfect way to put it, I couldn't think of a nice way to word that, but I think I will have to use your words in the future. "End results", that is priceless! And gosh it is so true!
Thanks, may I borrow that quote?
Hugs Squirrelly
Sure! How about the logo: Everything comes out ok in the end? In many colors?
Hi,
I used black fondant for my daughters birthday cake with penguins, and I painted it on the white fondant. I used a small amount of gel paste black and a small amount of rum. Then I dipped my brush in the rum and then into the rum.
It left them with a shine.
mrsjah
Hahahaha! That is such a perfect way to put it, I couldn't think of a nice way to word that, but I think I will have to use your words in the future. "End results", that is priceless! And gosh it is so true!
Thanks, may I borrow that quote?
Hugs Squirrelly
Sure! How about the logo: Everything comes out ok in the end? In many colors?
Heehee on the Satan Ice and your logo, it works out for me, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly
Hi,
I used black fondant for my daughters birthday cake with penguins, and I painted it on the white fondant. I used a small amount of gel paste black and a small amount of rum. Then I dipped my brush in the rum and then into the rum.
It left them with a shine.
mrsjah
You know, I always use vodka, but rum would be good too. Does it leave much of a rum smell or does the smell evaporate?
Hugs Squirrelly
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