I have a request to do a cake with black icing and white decorations.

What have you found to be the best way to get black without the bitter taste? Is there a certain brand that doesn't cause a bitter taste?

I plan on double checking with the client to see if it is OK to make chocolate icing (I know that takes black better)

PS- Its buttercream!

Wow....I sure wouldn't want that job. I've never tasted black buttercream that was palatable. One thing you could do is airbrush it. My crusting buttercream takes airbrushing fairly well. Maybe if you can get it chocolate then airbrush it???/

I don't know, that's a toughie. Good luck!

I just did an 8" round tier like that last night. First thing I'd do is do a semi-thick crumb coat in white. I know that sounds crazy, but it will make you have to use less black. If you have any left over colors from previous cakes, mix them all together. It will make an ugly camo green color. Then you can add black until you get the color you need. Most people on here recomment Americolor black, but I normally use Wilton w/o problems. On last night's cake, I didn't use left over colors though. I just used my white bc and added Wilton black until it was a dark gray. Once it sits on the cake a little while, it darkens and looks black...especially if the accents are white. I put that over the white crumb-coat and it worked quite well.

Yep, start w/choco.
Do you have an airbrush? Maybe get some canned spray color?
A whole cake in black is going to leave everyone's mouth/teeth/tounge black Also in a day or two they will be complaining of black bm !

Thanks for the help!

I tried the canned airbrush stuff, and it didn't seem to get dark enough (practice cake)

I did check with the client and she is OK with me making the top tier black with white decorations (using chocolate icing) and then the bottom tier white with black decorations. I figured this would minimize the black "fallout" and make the black/white theme sort of stand out a bit more.

Thanks again! I can always count on CC