Blue spots in the gray icing - Page 2

Julie, that maybe a seperate issue. Purple has a tendency to also fade or bleach out. It will often go light blue or gray if left in sunlight or florescent lights.

Kathy, I just looked at the cake pictures. The one on the blue is what I see alot, that sort of bleached out spot. It will do a white spot in pink too and purple it is almost a bright blue spot. 75% of the time salt wasn't used so that is why I usually rule that one out.

The one factor that everyone does use is water, and where we are our water varies from place to place. Such as my water comes from a different place than those in town. I had some neighbors in the class that had the blue spotting but the rest of the class didn't.

On the pink cake I do believe that could be the icing color that didn't mix in all the way.

Most of the spots I see in class, and occasionally on my cakes are the larger sorta bleached out spots. But I will be sure to look into the age of the icing color next time someone comes in with it.

Fading purple (not spotting) is an universal problem. IndyDebi has a good explantion about it. It has to do with the red food coloring they use now. I do think there is one brand that is less prone to fading and maybe powder colors.

As far as the spotting, I'm not sure. I don't get alot of it at home myself but I do see it in class, and they are using Wilton there.

TexasSugar....thanks!

Well, if you read this whole thread, we gave lots of theories but we all seem to think that certain Wilton colors, whether old or possibly problems in production, may do this occasionally. The rest of the thread also has some pointers on how to avoid it.

Duh me...I didn't notice that you were the same person. Sorry about that.

I just saw another thread posted on this same subject. It may always be a mystery...little icing goblins come stick their fingers in the icing while we aren't looking or something like that...

Just out of curiosity, were the spots you had in the pink white spots or pink spots?

Do you whip your shortening first? I always whip my shortening/butter until it is creamy in texture, then I add my salt and flavorings and whip it a bit more, then I slowly incorporate my milk. The powdered sugar, which I always sift, comes last. I never have white spots and I use Wilton colors. Again, I realized my white spots were probably undissolved salt and that is why I add the salt early in my recipe but maybe yours could be chunks of shortening that aren't getting incorporated.

I'm sorry but just because you dont think you can control the water, that doesn't take that out of the running for what is causing the issue. Yes I know you get your water for what ever source you get it from and you can't change that, besides buying water, but it could still be the problem. And there are other liquids you can use in your icing besides water.

I make icing at home, using the same things I use in class. At home I don't get spotting. I've brought icing home that I made from class, using the water at the store, and guess what, spotting. Other than a change of location and the water nothing else was different. Oh Ill take that back I use salt at home but do not use it in class, so it cant be causing the spotting in my class made icing.

While I can't say that salt (usually the first question people ask) doesn't play a factor into the some spotting issues, when asked most people said they didn't use it, which tells me that isnt always the underlying cause.

I also have trouble with the lumps of powder sugar or Crisco in the icing, because then why wouldnt it happen to all colors made with that batch of icing and not just a select few?

Why do some colors do things that other colors dont? Why do pink and purple have a tendency to bleach out of fade when sitting in sunlight or under florescent lights? It is in the mixture they make to get the colors. So why couldnt those same things be effect by the chemicals/minerals in water too?

Ive heard (never tested it out) that milk can help keeping purple from fading. Since you know you have the spotting issue then I would experiment a little. Why not try making purple or pink icing from bottled water or milk (cream, half and half, coffee creamer) and seeing if you still have spotting then? If you dont, then it is possible it really was the water causing the problem.

If changing the liquid doesnt help, then I guess the only other option is trying different brands or making your icing ahead of time.

Thanks....I'll have to try that out next time I'm working with purple!