Can You Airbrush Buttercream?

Decorating By loriemoms Updated 7 Feb 2017 , 11:32pm by kakeladi

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loriemoms Posted 10 Aug 2007 , 8:02pm
post #1 of 20

I have to do a big sheetcake that has a gradual color on it (going darker to lighter) I think airbrushing would work great, but I have never airbrushed buttercream. (I don't want to cover it with fondant) Has anyone ever airbrushed buttercream? any suggestions if you have?

19 replies
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Mattie1 Posted 10 Aug 2007 , 8:10pm
post #2 of 20

Yes you can airbrush BC.Just dont get too close to the icing or you may blow a hole in it.

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leily Posted 10 Aug 2007 , 10:55pm
post #3 of 20

The grocery store I worked in we only worked with bUttercream and bEttercream and we used an airbrush on it all the time.

Mattie does bring up a good point though, practice a little so you know the right distance to work at b/c if your air pressure is to high it will blow a hole in the buttercream. I could usualy get withen an inch or two without a problem but we could control the airflow so that helped.

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okieinalaska Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 3:30am
post #4 of 20

Most definately! : ) I have a lot of cupcake cakes I airbrushed in my photos.

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loriemoms Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 4:13am
post #5 of 20

Cool! I will have to practice it then! (my biggest problem with airbrushing is "sputtering" where all of a sudden a splatter of color will come out. I think I am holding the air back too hard or something. (the airbrush is clean as a whistle!) Any ideas on that?

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leily Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 4:28am
post #6 of 20

check your hose line. When I remember that happening there was moisture in the hose line and it would cause different air pressures and sometimes the moisture would come all the way out and cause the sputtering.

The second thing could be that your needle in the air brush is bent just a tad, it could be very minimal but if it is then sometimes the spray will build up and when large enough the air will catch it causing it to come out un even. (hope this makes sense, which I could draw and show you)

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loriemoms Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 2:14pm
post #7 of 20

That helps a lot! I bought a cheap air brush when I wanted to try it and see if I liked it and it sounds like that maybe part of the problem too, espcially the needle part.

I have been wanting to buy a nice airbrush from an art supply place. I assume I can use those as long as I am using the ediable inks, correct?

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bobwonderbuns Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 2:22pm
post #8 of 20

Check out Roland Winbeckler's books -- he airbrushes buttercream all the time (with amazing results!) icon_biggrin.gif

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bobwonderbuns Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 2:24pm
post #9 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by loriemoms

That helps a lot! I bought a cheap air brush when I wanted to try it and see if I liked it and it sounds like that maybe part of the problem too, espcially the needle part.

I have been wanting to buy a nice airbrush from an art supply place. I assume I can use those as long as I am using the ediable inks, correct?




A word of advice -- stay away from airbrushes from art supply places for use in cake decorating. The airbrushes for cakes have a different compressor which is specifically slated for airbrushing buttercream, etc. The art ones have a tendency to blow holes in frosting. Check out Kopykake products, that's the one I have and I just love it. Hope that helps some! icon_biggrin.gif

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Liz1028 Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 2:28pm
post #10 of 20

You can use any airbrush so long as it has never been used for non-food products. Once you put anything that is not food grade quality into the airbrush, it is no longer food safe. If you find that the needle in your airbrush is bent (even in the slightest way) you do not have to replace the entire airbrush; you can buy a brand new needle for around $16 and the airbrush should be as good as new, so long as that is the problem.

As for airbrushing a BC cake. Do wait until the icing has crusted over otherwise you may get wet streaks in your airbrushing and those look worse than spatter marks. icon_wink.gif

Good luck! The more you airbrush, the better you will become and the more you will like it. thumbs_up.gif

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zoomitoons Posted 11 Aug 2007 , 2:33pm
post #11 of 20

this is a buttercream icing cake that i played around with and airbrushed. i took it to where my son has piano lessons, hence the musical notes lol
the colors are "ugly" but it was just a practice cake and everyone loved it no matter the colors lol
LL

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loriemoms Posted 12 Aug 2007 , 2:54am
post #12 of 20

Thanks all, that is good advice! I have the cheapiest version of the kopycakes air brush and I could never cover an entire cake for instance, as it just doesnt' have any coverage to it...unless I am doing something wrong!

I will try the needle replacement and see if that helps! Good idea!

PS And I think the practice cake was cute!

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evieg Posted 13 Aug 2007 , 4:41pm
post #13 of 20

yes you can

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tiggy2 Posted 13 Aug 2007 , 5:04pm
post #14 of 20

I agree with bobwonderbuns, check out Roland's book. I purchased his airbrush system at ices this year and it's amazing. He can get right on top of the cake without blowing a hole in the icing. It comes with everything you need including a moisture filter and airbrush colors.

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sweetbliss88 Posted 5 Feb 2017 , 7:50pm
post #15 of 20

Hi. I would like to ask for your expert advice on airbrushing buttercream. I will be using airbrush for the first time and would like to know the icing colors that can be used for airbrushing buttercream. I am located in the Philippines and the available airbrush colors here are all waterbase. Will this work with buttercream or do I need to look for oil base airbrush colors? Will the oil base candy colors work with airbrush? 

Hope you can help me. Thank you. 

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kakeladi Posted 7 Feb 2017 , 12:06am
post #16 of 20

No, no, no......*Icing* colors canNOT be used in an airbrush Nor can oil based candy colors!  You must use the specially designed airbrush colors.  Yes, they are water based, but they are specially designed for specific use in an airbrush.   And.......YES, they do work on buttercream.  If you ready any of the posts in this thread you would have seen the answer to your ?.   Also check out my album as soem 95% of my work is done on buttercream with airbrushing.  Here are a few examples:   https://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/1394126/farm-scene      https://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/1349783/batman               https://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/84663/romantic-wedding-shower-design                             https://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/27074/sculpted-dog 

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krafty310 Posted 7 Feb 2017 , 2:37pm
post #17 of 20

I'm also new to airbrushing and I have a question.  I am making a cub scout cake (blue and gold).  The royal blue looks purple.  I'm using the royal blue coloring that came with the airbrush.  Can this be fixed or do I need to tint my buttercream first?  TIA

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kakeladi Posted 7 Feb 2017 , 8:04pm
post #18 of 20

It sounds to me like you used too heavy a coat of the royal blue.  I think personally I'd just tint the b'cream.  You usually have better control in getting the perfect (or nearly HAHA) that way.

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krafty310 Posted 7 Feb 2017 , 9:18pm
post #19 of 20

thank you kakeladi!  I'm just going to have to redo the cake.  I'm disappointed in the airbrush.  If anyone has any tips to make it great, I'd love to hear them.

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kakeladi Posted 7 Feb 2017 , 11:32pm
post #20 of 20

it's hard to get used to using an airbrush - at least it was for me:)  Also the look is different.  It's easy to over spray and that affects the color - seldom is it consistent when doing large areas.  Welllll that was my experience anyway.  i've seen so many different ways to hold it - that usually makes a difference on how the color ends up.  Few of them, if any on tv hold it the way I was taught by Frances Kuyper the *original* "Cake Lady") and as I understand it one of the 1st, if not The 1st,  to use an airbrush on cakes.  What a talented lady!  So sweet :)  The decorating community lost a wonderful, sharing, caring person when she passed away. 

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