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         Tips, Techniques and Tutorials for the Beginner Cake Decorator

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TIPS FOR COLOURING FONDANT

There are 2 ways to get coloured fondant:

1. COLOUR IT YOURSELF

2. USE PRE-COLOURED FONDANT

Personally I tend to use more of the pre-coloured fondants – especially if I need dark colours like black, brown, red and dark blue. I then mix the colours together to get the colour I want.

I use Satin Ice fondant as I find this works best for the climate here in Melbourne and at the end of this document I have included some links and information taken from the Satin Ice Web Site that you can use to assist you in creating the colours you are after.


IF YOU ARE GOING TO COLOUR IT YOURSELF - ALWAYS USE GEL COLOURS

When colouring fondant, you should ALWAYS use gel colours - never use liquid colouring as it makes your fondant very sticky and impossible to work with.


There are many different brands of gel colours out there. I use the Wilton brand of gel colours which are available in a huge range of shades. You can also mix different gel colours to create your own unique shades. 


Gel colours are concentrated which means a little goes a LONG way. Your bottles should last a very long time. 


You can also use the gel to colour gum paste and buttercream. However, they cannot be used to colour candy melts or melted chocolate. You need to buy special oil based colours for that.  


I recommend wearing disposable gloves when colouring fondant, especially if you are making red or blue or any other dark shade. The colours will stain your nails and fingers and it takes quite a few washings to get rid of the stains.

COLOURING FONDANT

Tint a small ball or enough to cover a whole cake – determine how much you need initially and make sure you colour enough for the whole cake as matching your original colour could be an almost impossible task at a later stage.


Remember - always start small. It is much easier to add more colour to get the colour you desire than it is to remove colour.


Start with your fondant and using a toothpick or palette knife add dots of colour. Work the colour into the fondant until it’s evenly distributed. To check if the colour is evenly distributed, cut the piece in half to check. The colour should be solid all the way through rather than show a swirl or pattern.

INTENSE / DARK COLOURS

Intense and dark colours require a large amount of gel colouring and can make the fondant exceptionally soft and difficult to work with. You are best to colour at least 1 day ahead and allow to rest for a while as the colours tend to darken over time.

FADING COLOURS

Remember that sunlight or fluorescent light will cause some colours to fade, so after your cake is decorated, place it immediately in a cake box and out of direct light or covered with a clean cloth.


Pinks are especially susceptible to fading out. Pink and mauve can be reduced to almost white when exposed to sunlight for any length of time. Purples will change to blue, blue will change to grey and black to purple or green.


STAIN REMOVAL


Gel colours can stain teeth and skin; however, simply washing skin area with soap and warm water should remove the colour.


Bleach can be used on counter tops. Lukewarm water should be used first to spot the stained colour, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. If the colour is still visible you may need to use a commercial cleaner suitable for the item that is stained.


USING PRE-COLOURED FONDANT

As previously stated I prefer to use pre-coloured fondants – especially if I need dark colours like black, brown, red and dark blue. I then mix the colours together to get the colour I want.


I will add gel colour occasionally to enhance or slightly change a colour, however most of the time I am able to achieve the colour I am after by just combining colours I already have.


The Satin Ice Website (http://www.satinice.com/color-mix-guide) has a great colour mix wheel that shows you how much of each coloured fondant to add together to achieve a desired colour.


They also have the following great colour mix charts that I have copied from their website as an easy reference to assist in colouring your fondant.

Tips for Colouring Fondant.pdf Back