I am making an elmo cake and the red is not red enough no matter how much I use. I am making it with buttercream but photos ive seen all say royal. Does that make a difference in deepness of red color...buttercream vs royal? My red is just very light and already used 2 small jars. What about airbrush color mixed with buttercream? I dont want to waste any more ingredients so Im turning to the people I trust and know will have an answer. Please Help!!!

I made an Elmo in bc (in my photos) and the only way I could get a good red color was to add the coloring (wilton no taste and wilton red red) to the creamed shortening/butter before the I added the ps. I did end up using about 5 or six jars of color and the flavor was really fine and the color stayed true even on the left over bc that I froze and then used on another cake. Black is the same way, if I add after the ps it is awful but before the ps it is great. hth

I know it doesn't necessarily taste the best, but I noticed in Wally World last night that they have big ol' tubs of bright red decorator frosting. If desperate, you could always try that - if you have access!

Thank you to both that replied I will try adding red to the shortening and I will also look online for red decorators frosting.
I just tried red liquid food color and it is very red, but not sure how it will hold up. It is much softer since I added more liquid, so wondering if I could add the liquid red to the shortening as well before the ps if that would work.

I'm not sure about the liquid but good luck and let us know how it turns out.

I made Elmo and use the wilton color instructions...

http://www.wilton.com/downloads/paninstructions/2105-3461ElmoFace.pdf


Wilton no taste red and orange....see link.

Here's mine...

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1288500

You do have to use a ton of it, and it darkens over time.

Thank you for the tips 2cakes. I need to go out and buy more red and orange. Have never seen wilton orange at my store. Would yellow owrk since red and yellow make orange? I guess I could experiment. Thanks again.