I am getting ready to make my ds first birthday cake, I am making a zoo animal themed cake. for the eyes and stripes on the animals i heard you could paint them on. I was wondering can I use the coloring stuff I got for coloring the fondant or do I have to get a special paint so it wont bleed?
Crystal

It depends on what 'coloring stuff' you got.

If it's paste or gel color, you can mix it with a few drops of clear alcohol (vodka, Everclear) and paint it on. The alcohol helps the paint dry well and quickly. If you use straight paste or gel, it will take FOREVER to dry.

If it's food coloring from the grocery store, get thee to the Wilton aisle of your local craft store or WalMart and buy paste color.

its the wilton gel stuff. is there anything other than alcohol i can use? I dont drink and dont really want to go make my hubby buy some (im only 20 lol) so I can use a tiny of it if you know what I mean.

You can use dusts or food coloring get thinned with vodka.

They sell tiny bottles behind the store counter for like $2.00 or so.

Painting on with colors using alcohol is the best way to go and the alcohol evaporates so it's not like drinking alcohol illegally - but you may have trouble buying it!

You could try to find the edible markers and just draw them on....our Walmart has them. They're in the isle with the cake mixes.

You can also mix with a clear extract (vanilla, lemon, etc)

Good Luck!

You do not have to use 'drinking alcohol' - you can easily use any clear extract like almond or lemon to dilute the paste just enough to make a thick goo. That should work just as well as Everclear (my choice!).
Good luck!

Thanks, i didnt think about using an extract! now another question lol, how much do I mix, like a few drops to a little of the gel? Thanks for all the help!

Do you have a neighbor or relative you can borrow a cup of booze from? haha... You'll only need about a teaspoonful.

If you decide to try a CLEAR extract, make sure it's got a high alcohol content. Alcohol should be the first ingredient listed. If it's mostly water, you gain absolutely nothing by using it, so stay away from "imitation" flavors.

what is everclear?

everclear is another vodka type. Yes, the little bottles of vodka are like $2.00, but you have to get it at the liquor store. They keep them behind the counter. I try to get the little ones b/c otherwise my roommate will drink it all before I use it again

Whoa there!

Everclear is NOT like vodka! It's 90% alcohol and 190 proof as opposed to vodka that is between 40 and 50% alcohol and 80-100 proof.

For cake decorating, the difference is minimal (Everclear does evaporate a little faster). But, if your roommate drinks it straight, he/she will be in a WORLD of hurt!

In some US states, the sale of Everclear (brand name for grain alcohol) is illegal.

Just throwing this info out there for anyone who is considering trying Everclear rather than vodka in their favorite drink.

You can also use cake airbrush colors and then you don't have to mix at all.

You don't have to buy drinking vodka etc, just look closely at the ingredient list of your extracts - vanilla, lemon etc. Most of them are upwards of 40% alcohol.
Imitation vanilla does NOT have any.....at least the bottle I bought.

I mixed some color with corn syrup for a cake I did earlier this month. Light corn syrup is clear.

I use the Wilton clear vanilla. It dries quickly.