Wednesday, August 31, 2011

What Does THAT Do?! - "No Taste" Red Icing Color

"No Taste" Red?! Really?! Do most icing colors have a taste? To me, they don't. To lots of people, including my friend, Jeff, they do. He came up to me at his daughter's birthday party, "Beki, why does red icing always taste so awful?" I told him that it doesn't have to.

Enter... "No Taste" Red Icing Color.
Ever since I learned that some people do taste red, I use this coloring for any icing that I am going to serve to people who I don't know well enough to know if they taste red. It will take a little more coloring to make a deep red, but as you can see in the fondant and in the icing bag in the photo below, it will get you a deep color.  (And by takes a little more, I mean sometimes you'll use the whole jar on one batch of icing.)


Another note on getting a "good" red coloring. Start with any color other than white! I usually dye my icing or fondant a little yellow or orange before I add the red coloring. If I start with white, it tends to look pink, then pinker, then pinker, then pinker... etc., etc.

Your color will deepen as it sits. So, I also try to make my red (or black) the day before. I get it almost as dark as I want it to be, then I let it sit overnight before I decide if I need to add more. Dark icing colors do take a lot of coloring. Stock up before you start a big, dark cake.

Do you have an idea for "What Does THAT Do?!" Send me a photo or a description, and I'll try to find out for you.


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6 comments:

  1. htomAugust 31, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    Any hints for really black frosting/fondent? I'm doing a cake for my sister's college graduation Saturday, and would like to do it as a black mortarboard.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BekiAugust 31, 2011 at 8:31 PM

    HTom, The best way to do black is just like with the red, start with any color other than white, and plan to use a lot of coloring. Also, doing the color the night before, let it set. A lot of times you'll put it in the fridge as gray-ish, and it's black in the morning.
    Good luck!
    Beki

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 6, 2011 at 10:08 AM

    Do you prefer gel or powdered food coloring for your bright colors?

    ReplyDelete
  4. BekiSeptember 6, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    You know, I've tried the powdered colors a few times, but just haven't been really impressed with them. I think that because I learned with the gels, too, that's just what I'm used to, so that's what I like.

    ReplyDelete
  5. chrisOctober 9, 2013 at 8:06 PM

    I'm making a fire engine cake for my son's birthday so I need a lot of red. Does it work to start with chocolate buttercream and use powdered red? I'm one of the people who can taste red and black food coloring. I've read that the powdered type has less or no taste.

    ReplyDelete
  6. BekiOctober 10, 2013 at 6:27 AM

    I don't think that the powdered version is going to be any different than the liquid when it comes to taste. I think it is about the dye # used. I'd go with the "no taste" if you can.
    - Beki

    ReplyDelete

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