Does anyone have any secrets on how to get your RI black without adding so much black tint.I was wondering if you can add cocoa and then use the black to tint it. If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate any ideas.

First, use Americolor Super Black gel color. You'll use far less than Wilton. If you use a meringue powder recipe, substitute the black color for some of the water so it's not so runny.

I've added cocoa powder to RI to get dark brown, but have never tried it for black. Anyway, the cocoa powder didn't harm the RI.

Royal icing is much easier to get to black than buttercream. I never add cocoa powder to Royal (although I do for buttercream). As the previous poster suggested, use Americolor. It doesn't take much to get it to a nice black.

Julie

I've added cocoa powder to RI, sifted it in with the powdered sugar, then adjusted the water a touch (I use meringue powder and water) then added black. Don't forget: when RI dries, it's a bit darker, so if it's a deep charcoal when piping, it will be black when it's dry... also, the surrounding colors help darken the appearance, if you're putting it on something bright yellow or white, it will look darker than if you put it on something navy or dark brown... HTH

I have also added cocoa first, then added the black to the RI. Word of caution, Thursday evening I did a tux for a wedding bouquet, and I did let the white RI dry for a long time before I piped the black onto it. The next morning, the black piping had bled way into the white adjacent to it! What a mess! I "enlarged" the black area to include the black "leaks" and re-flooded.
YIKES... I HATE BLACK!

It will only take a small amount of americolor super black. That stuff is great for royal icing, and royal icing always dries slightly darker.

To make black RI I use americolor super black and add a little violet. It will look charcoal grey at first, but if you let it sit a while it will turn black. I use the same method for BC.

I always make my black the day/night before I use it. I use Americolor, color it to a deep grey and let it sit overnight. The color always deepens to black.