I have finally had it with Wilton colors .

I'm making a Spiderman cake for my grandson's 4th birthday and cannot get the red coloring .

Have read here somewhere on the forum about other company colors but can not find the topic.

Please let me know what brands you use so that I can order some TODAY!!!

Thanks in advance for your responses.

I use Wilton colors and yes, the red is the worst but I've learned to color the icing as pink as you can get it and then add the Wilton "No Taste Red" to it. (see the grad cake picture I've attached) I've achieved a deep red with this technique. The thing I've noticed is that when your mixing it - it usually looks orangey - but when it dries - it always dries deep red. I hope you find something that works for you. I like the convenience of being able to run down the store if I need colors - so I'll stick with Wilton. Good luck on the cake.

Hi Bj,

Thanks so much for responding.

Your cake is beautiful, I just love that shade of red.

Do I let the pink set up first before adding the red?

I use to use Wilton now I use Americolor it is way better. The color mixex better and you do not have to use that much. It a gel.

Here is a link to where you can buy it. Country Kitchen had the best price compared to other places.

They are located half way down the page. The other brands I did not like as much as Americolor. Give them a try, I am sure you will like them and throw away all those wilton colors.

http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/minicake.aspx?T=1&SubCatId=1053

Good luck

BJ, that cake is just gorgeous, so elegant and perfectly done, I love it!
Regarding the red, haha, well I use Wilton. Sometimes I start with pink or Cake Craft Christmas Red or Chefmaster Liquid Gel Red Red 5061. Folks seem to really like Americolour, not easy for me to get it though.
The thing is some colouring agents are liquid gel, some are pastes, some are combinations and then some folks use powders. Basically what the base that the colour is in, makes a difference in how much you use.
I know it is frustrating, but I go way back to when any red you used tasted yucky and all you got was a God-awful sickly pink, never, ever could you get a true red. So we have come a long way, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Hi leana,

Thanks alot. I went into the link and need to know which red you use because it has a no taste red listed also. I like the deep red colors, do the other colors leave a bad taste like the Wilton reds?

Ha! I know that feeling of not getting the red color right...I just did a Spidey cake for my great-nephew. I ended up mixing pink, no taste red, Christmas red, peach, orange and I think a little yellow.
Let it sit for a couple hours and the color was okay. Tasted awful!!!! I warned everyon at the party not to eat the red color, most it didn't bother but I wouldn't eat it!

Well, Jscakes, it looks fabulous, wonderful job of Spidey! You know, I don't notice a taste from the red anymore, it used to be extremely bitter. Was that Wilton Christmas Red? That was the one that used to taste yucky!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Oh ya, it was the Wilton Christmas red!

(thanks for the compliment Squirrelly! )

You are welcome. Hhmn, the Cake Craft Christmas red isn't yucky, haha! Guess Wilton needs to work on that one. Can't figure out why they still make it, it is about the same colour as the No-Taste.
Hugs Squirrelly

Thanks jscakes,

As usual, your cake is beautiful.

I only used 2 1/2 c. and half a jar of color and its been sitting on the table under the lights and nothing has happened yet.

Can't wait till I if ever, get to be 1/2 as good as you.

what I have done the past 2 times I made red, was to get it pink, add red til it was a decent shade, and then added the slightest bit of black. It seems to give it a nice dark shade. When I get my camera to computer upload working, I will post a pic of my Course 1 final cake. Really proud of the red (not so much of the roses that are that red though )

Stephanie, actually sitting it under the lights can cause colour changes. Just thought I would mention that!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I did a spiderman cake last year for my son's 3rd birthday. Well I too had pink icing. I was in a panic and ran down to wal mart and sprayed the heck out of it with wiltons icing spray. The spray saved my day!

What a great cake, love the streamers with it too!
Hhmn, you know, sometimes you need to use almost or a whole or a bottle and a half of red colour to get red. That is why starting off with pink makes it easier, but eventually you do get red even with Wilton!
Hugs Squirrelly

Squirrelly,
I use the Americolor gel colors, I find I get better true results with those. I don't use Wilton colors very much any more.

I can't get them here yet and I don't want to pay all of the various charges for shipping to Canada. I suspect people like them because gels colour faster because there is more liquid in them. I can get the Chefmaster liquid gels and they work well. Wilton's are more of a paste. Hey, whatever works, right?
One thing I would say is that for colouring fondant, well the gels can really add a lot of liquid to the fondant so you get quite a mess and have to add a whole lot more icing sugar. You can't win, you use the gel to get a faster colouring, but you have to keep stopping to add more icing sugar to the fondant. But if you use the Wilton pastes, it takes a lot more to get the colour, but it doesn't get as sticky, haha!
I wonder when Wilton will jump on the bandwagon and develop a more liquidy colour system.
Hugs Squirrelly

Thanks Squirrelly,

It still did not turn. Soon as I made the icing I put it under the lights with plastic wrap so that the light would be shining on it.

Guess I'll have to open another no taste red .

Hi stephanie214,
I know what you mean about the Wilton red. I've only used the red one time on a Memorial Day flag cake and it took so much red to get it the right color! I had to stop working on the cake and look on this website to find out how to get the red because I was so frustrated. I finally got the right shade of red, after using all my color and after the cake set overnight, it even got redder. I've read on here that so many prefer the Americolor gels that I ordered some from sugarcraft.com and can't wait to get them!

Janice

Thanks, I added the streamers on a website called
www.shutterfly.com. That is where I send off for all my digital prints. They are wonderful, have alot of borders to choose from and fast service..

i think the lights will LIGHTEN the colors I was told to just mix and set on counter for a bit let the Air hit it, Stir it, add more red color to it. I have also found at the supply store they have a Powder that is really cool. I just dump it in there too. Usually gets red but takes a bit of color and time and stirring. Good Luck. Love all the Pic's on here too! they are great!
~Sweet~ =0)

If you are going to use Wilton colors...you need to use RED RED. That is the best way to get a dark red. You can mix red red with christmas red and it makes it even better. The taste is not so great and your teeth will be discolored...but it looks great on the cake!
traci

This may be a little late, but when I was taking the wilton classes, our instructer suggested to use some cherry flavored kool-aid powder in the BC. then as it mixes you can add some no taste red coloring to it and you get a great red color, plus it tastes like cherry kool-aid. I didn't do this, but someone in my class did, and it turned out great!

Hi mimid,

It is never to late for good suggestions. I will definitely try the kool-aid idea.

I am going to try the Americolors since everyone love it.