I am making a cake that requires red icing and I am having a terrible time getting the red color to come out a deep, dark red and not a bright, orangish, red. I know red is a hard color to mix and it requires a lot of coloring but does anyone have any suggestions or tricks to help me? I feel like I am adding more and more red coloring and not getting anywhere. I even tried adding a little black color and that did not work too well.

1.Use Americolor if possible
2.Start by colouring your icing with pink or orange
3. Add your red and then a tiny spot of black (and I do mean tiny!)
4.Make your red icing at least 24 hours in advance, preferably 48 and it will deepen in colour as it sits. You will also find that's once it's on your cake/cookie it will dry darker too.

Hope that helps a little!

Newbie here. Our instructor gave us this tip, Use 2 red icing tubes in 1 batch(3c.) of BC. If more color is needed make sure to use the no taste red. HTH

All right everyone....I finally found a way to get a patriotic red using Wilton paste colors. I used burgundy, rose, and no taste red and let it sit for awhile and walllaaa!!!! instant patriotic red!!!!

when I make red buttercream, I substitute supermarket red liquid food coloring for all or part of the water or milk called for in the recipe. I don't need to add much extra color after that to get the shade I want.

Thank you so much! You all have been very helpful.