Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Recipes › Can use reg food coloring to add color to fondant icing
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Can use reg food coloring to add color to fondant icing

post #1 of 11
7/14/10 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
Can you use reg food coloring to add color to fondant icing?
Thanks,
Shana
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 11
7/14/10 at 1:24pm
If you mean the little bottles of food coloring you find in the grocery store for dying easter eggs, no, not if the fondant is already made.

That food coloring is mainly liquid (water & I think alcohol). It'll make a soppy mess of fondant, not impart much color for the effort, and the water can allow sugar crystals to form making a mess of the fondant texture.

Now, if you're making your own fondant, you could mix some in in place of the water in the recipe. It would take an awful lot to make a dark color, but you could probably get a pastel without breaking the bank.

For already made fondant, the gel and paste colors are what works. If you can find a store that carries Wilton, they're just fine.

I recently found GEL colors by Betty Crocker at my grocery store in the spices area. Those would work fine, too.

HTH
Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
post #3 of 11
7/14/10 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
The Gel is it like in the cooking section where they keep the little cake icing etc? I will be making my own for now to learn how to put on that way I won't waste a lot of money. Back to the Gel I think I know what you are talking about its the Gel that you write with? sorry for asking so many questions this will be my first. If it is how much would I use? Thank you again.
Shana
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 11
7/14/10 at 3:19pm
I use these when coloring anything...from fondant, to buttercream, to cake mix:

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30B2D9-475A-BAC0-5D5C3DB846DFD354&killnav=1
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
Reply
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
Reply
post #5 of 11
7/14/10 at 4:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shanas

The Gel is it like in the cooking section where they keep the little cake icing etc? I will be making my own for now to learn how to put on that way I won't waste a lot of money. Back to the Gel I think I know what you are talking about its the Gel that you write with? sorry for asking so many questions this will be my first. If it is how much would I use? Thank you again.
Shana



No, I'm not talking about the gel writers for putting messages on cakes.

I'm talking about gel colors by Betty Crocker--4 tubes to a pack, one set of primary colors and one set of neon colors.

In my grocery store, they were in the spice section.

You add as much as you need to get the color you want.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
post #6 of 11
7/14/10 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
Went to Wal-mart tonight and found what you are talking about but I also found in the craft section some Gel that said sparkle Gel for cookies, cupcakes etc I think it was made by Wilton is that the same stuff you are talking about? I know the tube is bigger and was under 2.00. The other package had more colors. When I use this I only use a little till I get the color?
Thanks again,
Shana
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 11
7/15/10 at 7:14am
Shanas, I don't know if what you bought will work in homemade fondant, I think the sparkle gel is more of a icing as opposed to a food colorant. What I use is Wilton icing colors, they are gel paste food colorants, you can buy them at Walmart in the cake decorating section (or Michaels or Joanns). you can buy individual colors or you can buy them in 8 packs or 12 packs (each one in the pack is different color) and they are pretty reasonable and last a long time. Yes there are better brands but I have had great success with my Wilton colors and they are readily available.

see this link
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30C97E-475A-BAC0-5A609FE5C5506685&killnav=1

and it is much easier, when making a fondant color to cover the whole cake, to add the color when the marshmallow is melted but before you add the powdered sugar (that is assuming you are making MMF)

hth
I'm not licensed or insured and I don't sell cakes!! 'nuf said.
Reply
I'm not licensed or insured and I don't sell cakes!! 'nuf said.
Reply
post #8 of 11
7/15/10 at 7:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shanas

Went to Wal-mart tonight and found what you are talking about but I also found in the craft section some Gel that said sparkle Gel for cookies, cupcakes etc I think it was made by Wilton is that the same stuff you are talking about? I know the tube is bigger and was under 2.00. The other package had more colors. When I use this I only use a little till I get the color?
Thanks again,
Shana



No, again, that's not what I was talking about. Those Wilton sparkle gels are colored piping gel and will ruin any fondant.

I'm sorry that my previous explanations haven't helped.

If you found the gel at WalMart, you also should have seen small pots of Wilton icing colors in the same area. Perhaps you can make an exchange.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
post #9 of 11
7/15/10 at 9:01am
Thread Starter 
I didn't buy anything yet I wanted to ask you first. I did see those too that you were talking about so tonight I will go buy those the ones by Betty C. ours are in the spice section too and in a small box. How much do I use? I am very grateful that you are taking the time out to help me. Its so very kind and thoughtful of you. I am brand new to baking. Thank you again,
Shana
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 11
7/15/10 at 9:21am
These are the Betty Crocker gel colors in a tube, in a box that I talked about:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/dessert-decorating-products/products/gel-food-colors/classic-gel-food-colors

I mentioned them because they're readily available at grocery stores.

The Wilton colors come in small pots with screw off caps. Some are gel and some are paste. They come in a wider variety of colors and they're more expensive because each pot costs over $1.

With either one, you add them to your fondant, buttercream, cake mix, etc. to get the color you need. With the tubes, you squirt it in and with the pots you add it using a toothpick or knife tip--never put either one back into the pot of color until it's been cleaned or you'll contaminate the color and have to throw it away.

How much you add is up to you and depends on the color you need. Dark colors are hard to obtain without getting a funny taste.

Glad to be of help
Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
Reply
post #11 of 11
7/15/10 at 10:31am
Thread Starter 
Do I add it to the fondant when I mix it all up or after? also I seen last night they had flavor drops. I remember reading somewhere about adding drops to the fondant to add flavor have you every used that? if so do you just add 1 teaspoon or 2?
Thank you again for everything.
Shana
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Recipes
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Recipes › Can use reg food coloring to add color to fondant icing