I apologize in advance for this extremely novice question, but I am having trouble with this with every cake I make. I can never seem to get deep/intense colors in my buttercream icing. I use the Wilton colors, and was taught to introduce the color using a toothpick dipped into the color, using a fresh one each time so as to not contaminate the color. As you can guess, it's a tedious process. Perhaps I'm being too stingy, but I can't seem to get an intense pink from Rose, nor a deep purple from Violet. Likewise my greens seem faded. What am I doing wrong?? Any help would be appreciated.

Yup you're being stingy lol!

Allow your bc to sit for a while as the color will deepen over time, but yeah, add more of it for sure.

Using the toothpick is good advice for light or pastel colors, but if you're wanting deep bold colors, you need lots of color.

I use the end of a knife or a spoon handle to scoop out glops of color when I've needed really deep bold colors.

ditto. Use more. I use a butterknife and scoop it out.

When you want deep colors use the tip of your small spatula and dip it in the wilton gel color container. Mix and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. The next day will be very deep. When you use purple add a little of pink this prevents that the purple color becomes a little blueish.

Do not put to much red (christmas or red-red) in your buttercream because it makes the bc bitter. Use red no taste. If you want to make black start with chocolate bc and then add black.

Good luck and happy cake decorating!

I suggest not using Wilton and buying a bigger squeeze bottle of Americolor - you are going to need to use enough of your gel colors to get deep colors that it gets kind of expensive with Wilton- the Americolor is better in my opinion. Americolor has super red and super black which are more intense and can help you not have to use as much of those too!

ditto on the Americolor gels. You can buy a 4oz bottle for less than $5 at most online cake suppliers, but for colors that you don't use often the smaller bottles work, at least for me.

I've only been buying the little bottles (1oz?) since this is just a hobby for me. I bought some bigger bottles of colors that I use more often like yellow, blue, red and pink.

I like that they are squeeze bottles too. Way less mess!

I'd say stingy too. I have a hard time getting light pink from Wilton's rose.

For deep colors it does take quite a bit of color. In my opinion it doesn't matter which brand you use, some colors just take more coloring to get deep dark colors.

For really dark colors I'll use a popsicle stick. As as was suggested earlier, do your coloring ahead of time and your colors will darken up as they sit.

Chefmaster colors are very concentrated so you use much less and get much deeper/richer color. You can acheive red or black instantly with no bad taste. I hate waiting for color to intensify and hate the little pots from Wilton. Chefmaster is in a squeeze bottle so no contamination problems.

Along w/everyone else's suggestions use colors that have the word "super" in the color name.
Color the icing at least the night before. Can be left well covered at room temp for 24 hrs but after that be sure to refrigerate.

Americolor also sells small bottles for colors you don't use as much of (squeeze bottles just like the bit ones)!

Thank you ALL, ladies! I hadn't thought about the overnight intensifying of the colors. Now that I've heard from you, I'll bite the bullet and be less stingy with the color. (I like the popsicle stick or spoon handle ideas!) Good to know about the other color vendors too. I'll have to try them. Thanks again!