Help, The Color Is Separating In My Bc!

Decorating By BakingGirl Updated 10 Mar 2007 , 5:55pm by BakingGirl

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BakingGirl Posted 10 Mar 2007 , 2:44pm
post #1 of 6

I made some American buttercream to use for a FBCT. When I mixed up the various colors I thinned the BC with a drop of milk, mixed in the color, and then stirred until the BC was the right consistency and the color was even. I then filled my piping bag and started filling in the FBCT. After a few minutes I noticed the color starting to "streak" in the BC. I have had this problem with IMBC which I have overcome by using candy colors or mixing in the color while the sugar syrup is cooking. But I did not expect this with powdered sugar based BC, I assumed the color had enough to "cling" on to in the powdered sugar. Or did I do something wrong? FYI I used Americolor gel colors. Anybody have any ideas what I can do avoid this??

5 replies
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veejaytx Posted 10 Mar 2007 , 3:51pm
post #2 of 6

It helps to let the colors sit for a few hours or overnight to set in completely. If you can't do that, you probably just need to mix more thoroughly until you can see the color is all the way through. Janice

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BakingGirl Posted 10 Mar 2007 , 5:07pm
post #3 of 6

Thanks for the advice Janice. I did mix the color thoroughly when I prepared the icing for the FBCT but it started to separate pretty quickly. I am icing the rest of the cake tonight so I may make up the separate icing color batches early to let them sit and "mature" before using them.

Anyone else have any bright ideas re. this?

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lsawyer Posted 10 Mar 2007 , 5:16pm
post #4 of 6

Add 1T of meringue powder to every pound of powdered sugar in your BC; it's a great stabilizer and it's supposed to hold the colors better, too.

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cakes21 Posted 10 Mar 2007 , 5:31pm
post #5 of 6

It could be to thin.

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BakingGirl Posted 10 Mar 2007 , 5:55pm
post #6 of 6

Ok, got meringue powder, will try that.

The FBCT instructions don't really say much about icing consistency so I went with stiff for the outline, and fairly thin inside, just so that it easier to lose the wormy effect. Maybe it was too thin.

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