Coloring Icing

When it comes to coloring icing, there are several options. However, understanding the various types of food coloring can be a little bit confusing. First, I want to explain the difference in each of the types of coloring. After that, we will learn just how to color the icing.

What to use to Color your Frosting

Types of Food Coloring

There are five different types of food coloring you can purchase. They are:

• Paste Food Color
  
  
• Gel Food Color
  
  
• Powder Food Color
  
  
• Liquid Food Color
  
  
• The stuff you buy in the grocery store. You know the stuff in the little teardrop droppers.
  

Paste and Gel Color

Paste and Gel colors are a concentrated food color. This basically means that a little bit of color goes a long way. These colors come in small tubs or tubes. I use either one of these to color most of my icing. They come in just about every color you can think of and work great. The only time I do not use a gel or paste color when coloring icing, is when I need to make red, black, or a dark blue.

Powder Food Color

This brings us to Powder Food Color. Powder color is the best type of color to use for dark or hard to get colors. Once again, colors like red, black, or dark blue. The gel or paste colors will give you a nice dark pink or dark gray for instance. The powder color gives you a perfect red or black or blue every time. Also, when you try to get a dark color using a gel or paste you have to add a lot of it! This can make your icing taste kind of bitter. Powder color has no taste, no matter how much you add.

Powder color is a little more expensive than a gel or paste color. A little trick that I have learned is to use your gel or paste color and get your icing a little pink or gray (or whatever color you're mixing) first. Then add a little bit of your powder color. You will still get a nice dark color without the taste. This also makes your powder color last longer because you do not have to use as much of it!

Liquid Food Colors

Liquid food colors are the other type of coloring available. There are two types of liquid food coloring available: Concentrated liquid and the stuff you buy in the grocery store. The concentrated liquid is great. It works very similar to a gel or paste color. These are also great for coloring the cake batter too. Because the liquid is concentrated, you do not have to use a lot of it.

Food Dyes

I know that everyone has seen the food dyes in the grocery store. You can pick up a pack with every color for very cheap. Do not let this fool you! When it comes to cake decorating, these are a waste of time and money. This food coloring has so much water in it that actually getting the color you want is almost impossible. You will use the entire tube and by the time it's gone you might have the right color! When it comes to coloring icing, stick to a concentrated color that will give your icing a nice color without a bitter taste and will last you for many years.

How to Color your Icing

Coloring icing is actually very easy. The main thing you want to remember is to be sure to color enough icing for your needs. This way you will not have to try and match the color again later. Even if you mix too much it's always better to have to much than not enough!

If you are using a liquid or gel coloring in a tube or bottle, simply squeeze a few drops in your icing and stir. Remember, these colors are very concentrated so just start out with a little bit!  You can always add more color, but you can't take away! Add a little at a time until you get the color you need.

If you are using a paste color in a tub it is a little different. For these colors you want to use a toothpick. Simply dip a clean toothpick into the color and then swirl it into your icing. Once again, start out with a little and go from there. It is important to always use a clean toothpick. Do not put the same toothpick back into your color after it has been in the icing. The grease from the icing will break your color down and you will not be able to use it again!

That's it! Using icing color is very simple.