Black Buttercream W/o Using An Airbrush

Decorating By augurey Updated 5 Oct 2011 , 9:53pm by Kiddiekakes

augurey Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
augurey Posted 4 Oct 2011 , 9:09pm
post #1 of 8

In 2 1/2 weeks I'm doing a cake for a football senior night. The school colors are black and orange.

I'm planning on using Sugarshack's buttercream. Now, I don't really want to just make the whole batch of icing black. Aside from everyone having black teeth (which I get could still happen), I worry that it may give it a bitter taste.

I've made black buttercream before (usually coloring it brown first, and then using black), but not to cover an entire cake.

I know I could use an airbrush to avoid this, but I don't own an airbrush nor do I even know how to use an airbrush, so that's completely out. (yes, I would love one, but I have other things higher on the priority list).

Does anyone have suggestions on how I could accomplish this without having to cover the whole cake in black icing?

It's not catastrophic if it's not all black and will just use black and orange for other parts of the cake, but I would like to do all black with orange accents if it is possible (without using all black).

7 replies
Serena4016 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Serena4016 Posted 4 Oct 2011 , 9:46pm
post #2 of 8

Could you make chocolate buttercream and then color it black? You would certainly have to use less coloring!!

Kiddiekakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kiddiekakes Posted 4 Oct 2011 , 9:53pm
post #3 of 8

If you use or have Americolor black gels then it is no big deal to color the entire batch..It does not give it a funny taste.I do entire cakes all the time in black and have never had a complaint about the taste.

diane Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
diane Posted 4 Oct 2011 , 10:03pm
post #4 of 8

I start with adding cocoa powder and then using americolor black...never had a problem with taste. Just remember, the icing will get darker as it sits. thumbs_up.gif

augurey Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
augurey Posted 5 Oct 2011 , 8:30pm
post #5 of 8

I didn't realize that the Americolor black didn't have the issue of a bitter taste. Since learning of Americolor, I will only use the Americolor black.

Thanks for the info!

If you do ice all in one color (especially a dark color), do you ever get complaints about the icing making their (the guess) mouths that color?

I did a dark blue once back in June and everyone's mouth turned blue (but this was just something at home), so I'm not sure how that'd turn out for a senior football night. Any feedback on how people usually respond to such a thing?

kakeladi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kakeladi Posted 5 Oct 2011 , 8:53pm
post #6 of 8

How to make black:
Whenever you finish decorating for the day - save all the tiny bits and dabs of icing - what's left-over and less than say 1/4Cup - *every color you used* . Do this for a week or month or however long , saving them in a airtight container in the fzr. When needing black mix these colors together. Most likely it will be a ugly color maybe drab olive (LOL) then add some cocoa powder &/or brown and black color to achieve what shade you want.

Much less chance of the icing coloring people's mouth/lips/teeth nor the funky paste color taste.

icer101 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
icer101 Posted 5 Oct 2011 , 8:53pm
post #7 of 8

Hi, yes, it will turn your tongue , lips and teeth black. Ask me how i know.lol!!!

Kiddiekakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kiddiekakes Posted 5 Oct 2011 , 9:53pm
post #8 of 8

Some may complain but they are usually aware of it and don't seem to mind.The kids find it funky to have black teeth for a while!!

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%