Icing Color Bleeding

I've been asked several times if I have something to say about 'color bleeding'. By using the frosting recipes shown here and gel food coloring, I have never faced this problem. However, color bleeding is caused by many reasons. During the cake decorating classes that I have taken, I have always heard that other's cake frosting or cookie decorations have faded.

The primary reason was that they were left to direct SUN-LIGHT EXPOSURE. Make sure your cakes or cookies are not exposed to direct sun-light as this can fade the colors.

Also, MOISTURE is not good for frosting as this may cause the colors to bleed. Make sure your frozen cakes are completely thawed before you decorate them with colored frosting. The moisture from the frozen cake as it thawes will 'sweat' and dilute frosting ruining its consistency and in some cases diluting the color. Also, when you store your cake, do not cover it in an air-tight container as the cake will sweat if the heat rises.

When using COLOR FLOW, if the outline color is diferent than the filling, make sure you let the outline dry for a couple of hours before you proceed to filling your piece as this may cause bleeding.

If anyone reading this has any more comments to add, please feel free to do so. The purpose of this blog is to share our knowledge, please help us achieve that.

Color Flow Icing Technique: How to Decorate Your Cookies

OUTLINING

**Use full strenght color flow to outline pattern.**

1. Fill a decorating bag with tip 2 with full strength color flow.


2. Touch surface, sqeeze and lift your decorating bag filled with full strength color flow icing and drop icing string to form pattern outline. Stop, touch the surface and pull away. Blend lines using a damp decorators brush softly.
   
3. Let outline dry a few minutes until it crusts.

If using a different outlining color than the filling color, let the outlinign dry for 1-2 hours to prevent bleeding of colors.

FILLING IN

**Use thinned color flow (Click here for "Thinning Color Flow" directions)**

1. Use a brand new decorating bag (or parchment bag), that means, no whole or coupler.
   
2. Fill the bag with thinned color flow.
   
3. Push the icing to the tip.


4. Cut a small opening at the tip of the bag.


5. Begin filling along the outlines first and let the icing blend by itself. Do not stop filling before completing the piece.


6. Once you finish filling, very quickly push icing to the unfilled edges with a toothpick.
   
   
   



7. Pierce bubbles with toothpick.
   
8. Color flow dries very quickly with a shiny pillow effect.


9. Let decoration air dry thoroughly at least 48 hrs. If this is used on top of cookies, it will dry overnight.

Cookie pictures: Halloween Bouquet

Links to:
Cookie Recipe and step-by-step instructions
Color Flow Icing Recipe: Cookies Glaze
Thinning Color FlowRoyal Icing as Color Flow: Coming Soon

Thinning Color Flow Icing

In order to fill outlines you need to thin the color flow icing. To do so you must add water until you are able to spoon out a small amount of icing and let it drop back into the bowl. Then do the 10 second rule: when it takes a full count of 10 for the icing to sink back into the mixture and disappear completely, the icing is ready.
Other recipes will tell you to add the water with few drops at a time. Please do that because it is easier to fix a not very thinned icing than to fix a very thinned icing. I usually start with 2 teaspoons for a whole recipe then continue with few drops at a time.

Links to:
Color Flow Icing Recipe
Color Flow Icing Technique: How to decorate your cookies
Cookie Recipe and step-by-step instructions
Royal Icing as Color Flow: Coming Soon

Color Flow Icing Recipe : Cookie Decoration

Full strength consistency. Yields 1 3/4 cup

1 lb sifted pure cane confectioners' sugar (4 cups)
2 tablespoons Color Flow Icing Mix ( I use WILTON Color Flow Mix
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water.

Make sure all utensils are grease free. ** Tip: boil egg beaters to remove grease. **

• Mix all ingredients starting at slow speed (stay at slow if using a stand mixer) and increase to medium (if using a hand mixer).
  
• Mix for 8 minutes.
  
• Stir in desired icing colors (I use Wilton gel colors to keep full strength consistency).


• Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth to avoid drying. Color flow dries pretty fast.

Links to:
Cookie Recipe and step-by-step instructions
Color Flow Icing Technique: How to decorate your cookies
Thinning Color Flow
Royal Icing as Color Flow: Coming Soon