Please Help!!!

Decorating By vjones20 Updated 24 Mar 2007 , 1:36am by dldbrou

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vjones20 Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 4:22am
post #1 of 9

I have a cake due tomorrow and it's not working out. The cake needs to be all red. I added and added and added red gel coloring and it pretty much stayed pink. I used two whole jars of coloring and now it tastes like garbage. It's like the buttercream wouldn't hold enough color. I have to start over again. How in the world can I get my buttercream red?!!

I am begging for help!

8 replies
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JoAnnB Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 4:29am
post #2 of 9

Are you using Wilton colors? It is very hard to get red. Americolor makes a good red, but it still takes a lot.

Sometimes if you wait, the color will darken, unfortunately, it won't fix the taste.

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Kelrak Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 4:39am
post #3 of 9

Wilton No Taste red shouldn't have that bad aftertaste, and I guess Americolor doesn't either. I hope you can run to Wal Mart or a cake store really early tomorrow and find a no-taste coloring!

Good luck!

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koolaidstains Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 4:39am
post #4 of 9

How much red do you need? I'm not sure why this is, but my own personal experience has been that it's easier to color small batches of buttercream red, then large batches. In other words, I could color 1/2 cup red, but not 2 cups. So, maybe you could color small batches and then mix them together? What color are you using? If it's Wilton, then you HAVE to use the no-tase red. You will never get red without it, the christmas red and the red-red will only turn a dark pink.

There are a few things you can do. Use something that's pink or red as your liquid, kool-aid, cranberry juice, beet juice, or pomegranite juice. Use some pink gel coloring to get the icing a deep pink and then start adding the no-taste red. (Sorry I don't know the americolor equivalent).

The other option would be to use the spray color and spray it red. If you use the wilton sprays use several light coats being sure to let it dry inbetween. You can also buy the red icing in a tube although it doesn't taste very good and I wouldn't want to use it if you're covering a big area, but it does help to mix it in with your own icing to achieve a better color red.

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BeckySue Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 4:40am
post #5 of 9

I never can get my red to be red enough - so I just buy it from the store. Wilton makes red icing as well as some others. I have heard that adding Kool-Aid can help and there are "no taste" red color that will help with the flavor....
Sorry I can't be more help!! Good luck!! icon_smile.gif

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cakeguru Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 7:37pm
post #6 of 9

Start by tinting your icing pink and then add the no taste red

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chelleb1974 Posted 23 Mar 2007 , 8:02pm
post #7 of 9

I color mine hot pink, then add americolor super red and it comes out pretty good!

~Chelle

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Juds2323 Posted 23 Mar 2007 , 11:24pm
post #8 of 9

To get the elmo red for my elmo cake I used about a large jar and a half to color it (approx. a whole batch of buttercream). It did need some time to "cure" to get the full red and it actually got deeper after it crusted over. It was a very deep "pinky red" when I used it and if you look at my pics you can see it is red.


HTH

Judi
Judi

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dldbrou Posted 24 Mar 2007 , 1:36am
post #9 of 9

Have you tried adding a little bit of cocoa? I find that if I need a dk red this will help with not only the color, but the flavor as well.

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