Lemon Extract Vs. Vodka (For Painting)
Decorating By Steady2Hands Updated 8 Jun 2007 , 2:59am by mbelgard
I made a lighthouse cake this past week and was not happy with the solution I used to paint the light housing on top. I've read that you can use cake coloring gel paste and mix it with either Lemon Extract or Vodka. The extract/Vodka is suppose to thin the gel and help it to dry.
Well, I used Lemon Extract (since I've never bought liquer before) and the gel paste "paint" did not dry very well. Every time I touched the housing it left black marks on my hands.
So ~ what you use? Please vote in the poll. If you use something else, please let us know what you use.
Thanks everyone!
I use Vodka mixed with color gel and dusts and get great results. With the color gels,though, you do need to let them dry a tad longer, but they will dry. Lemon extract is oil based correct? 
Maybe mixing the color gels with the lemon extract does not work as great. Don't know, I have never used the lemon extract--just vodka.
Vodka is way cheaper and if you get frustrated then you can just drink it. 
Lemon extract is not oil based....it is alcohol based and it evaporates quickly and is expensive when you use it that way. Plus it tastes terrible to drink... YOu can get just a real cheap bottle of vodka at a grocery store or Walmart for that fact.
I prefer Everclear, because of the high alcohol content it dries very fast. Lemon extract also has lemon oil in it and I don't care for the way it goes on or that it takes longer to dry. If I am painting a gumpaste item that I KNOW will not be eaten I have take Sue NcMahon's tip and use Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, it dries very fast and mixes well with dusts. Cheap too!
I prefer Everclear, because of the high alcohol content it dries very fast. Lemon extract also has lemon oil in it and I don't care for the way it goes on or that it takes longer to dry. If I am painting a gumpaste item that I KNOW will not be eaten I have take Sue NcMahon's tip and use Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, it dries very fast and mixes well with dusts. Cheap too!
That is what I thought about the lemon extract. I remember people saying that because the bit of oil in it, it paints on differently. I wishe I could get Everclear, the liquor store I frequent (which yes, the know me as "the cake lady".... Should be wino cake lady.... anyway, I digress...) they will not carry it. And Shirley, I love that tip about Isopropyl alcohol--that is fantastic!! 
Vodka is way cheaper and if you get frustrated then you can just drink it.
Lemon extract is not oil based....it is alcohol based and it evaporates quickly and is expensive when you use it that way. Plus it tastes terrible to drink... YOu can get just a real cheap bottle of vodka at a grocery store or Walmart for that fact.
sheehs, I am logged in at work (yes way addicted!!) and lmao in the lobby area. Good thing there are no students around to explaing the hilarious laughter!!!
I've never tried the vodka, but I like it!!!
For some reason, I use lemon extract with the dusts and vodka with the gel colors. Not sure why, but that's what works best for me.
And I would never use rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol on any part of a cake, whether it's to be eaten or not. JMHO.
I have always used lemon extract. I just took Colette's class in Fed. and she uses lemon extract too. She orders it in huge bottles. She said that the lemon oid helps make keep the shine of what your painting.
Lemon extract is not oil based....it is alcohol based
I think that must depend on the brand - my lemon extract is all oil - it's lemon oil mixed with sunflower oil, no alcohol at all! That's why I use vodka and nothing else (OK, maybe gin or another clear high percentage alcohol!).
I have used both and they both work the same for me. It might just be the gel coloring which always takes longer to dry...think of painting with piping gel. It will dry eventually, but will remain tacky for a long time. When I painted my American flag, I thinned the gels with just a little water and did not have any problem at all.
I only use the alcohols or extract when painting with dust or attaching fondant pieces together...and if THOSE are larger pieces I use pasteurized egg whites.
Vodka is way cheaper and if you get frustrated then you can just drink it.
Lemon extract is not oil based....it is alcohol based and it evaporates quickly and is expensive when you use it that way. Plus it tastes terrible to drink... YOu can get just a real cheap bottle of vodka at a grocery store or Walmart for that fact.
My thoughts exactly. I use the vodka, but I've also found that I like Americolor better than Wilton. It seems to go on better for me.
I like nice cheap vodka to paint with. Works great and is so cheap. A tiny bottle lasts forever for me.
I'm so glad someone asked this, because I was wondering the same thing. And is it okay to use the really cheap vodka, since I think all vodka's pretty nasty, so I doubt I'll be guzzling it anytime soon?
Christie
Hi every one, I'm a newby.
Heres my problem, sometimes when I'm painting onto fondant with powder colors, my paints dont go on so smooth. Sometimes they look crackled, and sometimes they look streaked. I use lemon extract for mixing. What am I doing wrong? 
I've used both but for some reason I use lemon extract more often. I think it's because I can squeeze out just what I need when I need it a little at a time. I think that's the only reason other than I don't want to waste the vodka on anyone but me. joking there.
sugarcoma welcome! I just wanted to let you know you might have more responses to your question if you post a whole new thread on it. Just click on new topic and go for it! I don't do much painting, but I have found that if my paint isn't going on smooth, its just a bit thick, so I thin it down a bit. HTH!
As for the original topic, I am in Australia, and the cheap vodka I can get hold of is only 37.5% alcohol, so it dries slooooow and is almost unuseable(is that a word?)! I use lemon extract because it is 85% alcohol and not too expensive for the small amount of painting I do. I did spill the lemon extract over my table top once and it ate the varnish or whatever was on it!!
That is what I thought about the lemon extract. I remember people saying that because the bit of oil in it, it paints on differently. I wishe I could get Everclear, the liquor store I frequent (which yes, the know me as "the cake lady"....
Should be wino cake lady.... anyway, I digress...) they will not carry it. And Shirley, I love that tip about Isopropyl alcohol--that is fantastic!!
Nothing wrong with being a wino, it's kind of fun.
I use everclear and that's not for anything but cakes, the vodka is the good stuff and should be saved for drinking.
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