Hi,
This is my first posting and request for help. I have a wedding cake due on June 30th, a very hot time of the year in CA. The bride wants a buttercream frosting made without shortening and not too swet. I usually make an egg white only mousseline buttercream from The Cake Bible. I have never been able to get a real nice bright red color when adding the color paste to the buttercream. This really has me stumped. The bride would like vines trellising around the sides of the cake in this red color and on a peachy colored background. Any suggestions on how to do this?? Oh yes and did I mention the bride also wants the cake to be organic??? I know that the cake needs to be very chilled and out of the sun at the presentation table, but it's the colors and frosting I need the most help with. Perhaps something to do with beet juice for color? I would greatly appreciate any help anyone can offer. Thank you. Kathryn

When ever I have to make a bold color I always start w/ a base color.
for black and red I usually start with pink.
I look forward to hear what others do

Hello and welcome to Cake Central. I have tried to get a truly great red, especially around Christmas time using many of the colors available especially the Red Red. This worked out ok but really didn't give me the intense Red I was looking for.

Several of my cake decorating professional friends use KoolAid (yes that awful powder) to ge the shade of red they are looking for. It will alter the taste of your icing but should give you want you are looking for. Remember, your icing color intensifies as it sits, many bakers color their icing early in the week to get the shade they need by Friday/Saturday.

Hope this helps you and good luck. Post pictures when your done, we all would love to see the finished product.

2 words.... AMERICOLOR!!! That's all you need, it won't take much of it. Americolor is awesome!!!

Edited to spell americolor right Actually one word...

I second what tcturtleshell said. The AmeriColor Super Red is awesome!

Start with pink and use A LOT of no-taste red if you're using Wilton gel color. I usually use a spatula to dip it out rather than a toothpick.

I recently got a wonderful red using Kool-Aid. And then finishing off with a little bit of Americolor Red-Red. Not much, as the Kool-Aid nearly did the job. But...it was WAY tart! Tasted like Sweet-Tarts. Might be OK for thin vines or other small components. As roses, which was how I used it, it was too much tartness, IMHO. The color was terrific, though!

Thank you for all the help. I never thought about KoolAid for color. Makes sense. I will shop for Americolor as well and hopefully all will turn out! If I can figure out how to post a picture, I'll include one of the finished cake in July. Thanks again, this forum is awesome!