How to Color Buttercream Frosting
ows you the best way to color buttercream frosting, including creating both pastels and vibrant colors - perfect for cakes and cupcakes!
Servings: 1 batch
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Buttercream Frosting
- Gel Food Coloring
Tools
- Toothpicks optional
- Immersion Blender optional
Instructions
- If you’re making more than one color of frosting from one batch, divide the frosting into separate bowls - one for each color of frosting.
- For light or pastel colors, dip a toothpick in the gel food coloring and add to the frosting (make sure you use a new toothpick every time you add more so you don’t contaminate your food coloring).
- For dark colors add one to two drops of food coloring per batch of frosting. Remember, you can always add more coloring but you can not take it away once it's been added.
- Using a spatula, or your electric mixer, mix the food coloring into the frosting. If necessary, add more food coloring and remix, keeping in mind the color will develop and darken slightly as it sits.
- If you’re looking to get a super dark or vibrant color of frosting there is no need to dump a whole container of food dye into your buttercream! Instead, use an immersion blender in the bowl of frosting and it immediately will darken and become more vibrant.
- Use on your favorite desserts and enjoy!
Notes
- You can color just about any buttercream frosting including American Buttercream, Swiss Meringue Buttercream, etc. The process is the same.
- The colors will darken as they sit so if you’re looking for dark colors it helps to color the frosting a day ahead of time.
- Gel or powdered food coloring works best. Liquid food coloring can thin out the frosting and will not be as bright.
- I’ve found color takes better to frosting that has not yet been thinned out with milk or cream (or has been thinned out just a little bit). But, you can color frosting at any point.
- Colored buttercream frosting can be stored and frozen just like the original recipe.