Every time I color the buttercream icing, it looks perfect at first. Several hours later, though, there are little blobs of color that materialize all over the buttercream. I sift the sugar before I mix it, and last time I decided to stir the icing up really well one more time before I iced the cake. It still did it! Here's a pic to show you what I'm talking about. This was taken a day after I mixed up a lovely lavender color. How do I fix this?
Sorry! I'm very new here. I finally figured it out.
Dragonfly - what type of shortening are you using? While I have not had this problem, in other threads I have seen on this site have been discussions where it seemed that that the cheaper shortenings had this problem. It may be worth trying to run a search, or look at past posting on the topic.
Good luck
I use the Crisco premeasured sticks. Maybe I should just use butter except when I want a pure white?
I would bet that its the dye. I had the same problem and posted the question a month or so ago. Those that had had this problem said a lot of times, Wilton's gel will speckle. Others thought maybe the gel had been contaminated by sugar or something (From double dipping the toothpick)-- Whatever it was, I didn't have the problem after I bought new gel (which happened to be a different brand also) --
Good luck!
**Oh yeah, and my buttercream is all butter--so the shortening wouldn't have been an issue. My vote is trash the gel and buy new! 
Dragonfly - I use the Crisco from a can and have not had a problem. I doubt if the sticks are a different recipe - but you may want to try a can. since you are not using a 'off brand' shortenting, I would try a different food gel.
All I use is Wilton. Any other brand suggestions?
AmeriColor seems to recieve consistently good reviews (I have been happy, they have a great selection of colors, and you can purchase through this site). I have a number of Spectra (I think that it the brand name) and have not had any problems with them.
This has happened to me too, but I don't know how to fix it exactly except stir like crazy. ( I only had a small bowl colored for trim) I was told by my Wilton instructor that salt causes that problem, because I was adding salt to my finished icing. Now I dissolve the salt in my water/flavoring before I start to make sure. It hasn't happened since, but the only drawback is that you can add too much or too little at the beginning and will be forced to sprinkle some more in after all the sugar is added. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!
Thanks for the salt tip! I'll have to try that. What's the purpose of the salt anyway? I know my Wilton instructor said that we could omit it.
Thanks for the brand names. I'll try them.
I add salt to my buttercream and I was taught to always use popcorn salt--the white. I've had no trouble with speckling. Also, if you have not sifted your powdered sugar, or if you're using a powdered sugar that is NOT pure cane sugar, you may also have cornstarch clumping that is holding color.
Rae
You mentioned you had to stir....I always mix my colors into the icing with the mixer. Don't know if that is part of the problem or not!.
I have been playing with several different BC recipies, butter, shortening, and everything in between, and I havent had this problem, but I have used the same brand and type of shortening any time I needed it (Im lazy and I dont want to screw up the measureing) and I havent had any problems like that, sorry, thats all I have to contribute 
One of my classmates had that same problem BUT only with the purple color! I tried it and had no trouble. Our instructor said that Wilton changed the recipe and the problem should be fixed-maybe you just got an older bottle. Maybe try another jar?
Good luck
Here is what I think it is. I have had this happen to me too when I mix up some green for my leaves. This one jar of Wilton paste color of green always does that too. I think the color is old and when it sets it dissolves the dried color bits. So I mix it up ahead of time and then let it sit and keep stirring every now and then until its all melted. I have switched to the Am. Colors and love them. Sandy
I've added the color to the mixer before, and it did the same thing. I thought maybe that was the problem to begin with!
It could be an older bottle. I've probably had these two or three years. Gosh, when I type that, I think, "Ok, I SHOULD replace those!" I don't do many cakes though, so it doesn't make sense to replace them very often. I'll try that though!
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