I know the usual way is to add flavorings, such as fruit, but the customer doesn't care for fruit. I have a baby shower order and want to do a pink pastry cream inside the cream puffs. Can I just using icing color? (I usually use Wilton Icing Color) Or could I mix some of the buttercream from the cake (that will already be colored) into the pastry cream?

I use gel colors. Food colorings are waterbased and will affect the texture of your pastry cream.

Thanks. When do you usually add your color? Before or after it's chilled?

I would add it before you chill it - I don't like to stir my pastry cream too much after it has been chilled.

Like Erin said, you don't want to be mixing it after it's set.

I would just add the colour to the cream while it's being heated.

Awesome! Thank you!