Learn how to color fondant with gel food coloring for your cake decorating projects. Follow these easy tips to prevent a sticky mess and always get deep, dark vibrant colors.
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As I continue baking and cake decorating, I am learning so many new things and I love sharing them with you. You guys might also find these tutorials helpful: How to Marble Fondant For Cakes and How to Pipe Cake Borders (Buttercream) and this one on How to Make Gold Cake (With Edible Spray).
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Key ingredients
- Fondant- This should be a neutral white. It can be homemade or store-bought.
- Gel food coloring- Use whatever shade you like and whatever brand you prefer.
How to color fondant?
1. Add color- If you are using a squeeze bottle, add a few drops. If you are using the small jar, use a toothpick to add color. Don't double dip. Next, r Knead in a little bit of gel food coloring into your fondant. The warmth of your hands will make it more pliable.
2. Knead color- Rub your work surface with some shortening to prevent stickiness. Some people sprinkle powdered sugar. Now, use your hands to knead the color thoroughly until evenly distributed.
3. Add more color if necessary- If the shade is too light, add some more color and knead again until you have the desired shade.
4. Use immediately or store for later- Fondant dries quickly. If you are not using it right away, wrap tightly in saran wrap and keep at room temperature away from direct heat, sunlight and moisture.
What type of fondant to use?
You can use a store-bought brand or make a homemade version. Some of my favorite store-bought brands are as Satin Ice, Wilton, Cake Craft and Sunny Side Up. They come in the classic white color or you can buy their pre-colored ones, which are a great option in a time crunch. Try a few different brands yourself to see which one works best for you in terms of texture, flavor and smell. I like to make my own easy Homemade Marshmallow Fondant (MMF). It tastes great and is also super cheap to prepare and very pliable.
Best brands of gel food coloring
Some of my favorites are AmeriColor, Chefmaster, Sunny Side Up and Wilton. These range in prices and also sizes. I highly recommend using squeeze bottles. When I first started cake decorating, these weren't as easily available and we had to use toothpicks to add some gel from a small bottle onto fondant. It was so messy.
Tips and techniques
- Don't ever use liquid food coloring- You will end up with such a sticky mess.
- Prevent stickiness- By applying a small amount of shortening to your hands and work area. Another option is to sprinkle some powdered sugar or cornstarch. Please note that powdered sugar and cornstarch can dry out the fondant if used too generously.
- Knead fondant before tinting- This is because the warmth of your hands makes it soft and pliable. This allows you to incorporate the color seamlessly and effortlessly.
- Resting period matters- Let the tinted fondant sit for a few hours or even a few days. This allows the shade to develop and intensify.
- To make intense dark colors- You will have to increase the quantity of the food coloring and you will also have to increase the resting time period. Even then, shades like black and red are very hard to achieve at home. I recommend buying those two shades pre-tinted. It's just not worth the time trying to make those two at home. I have tried and failed many times.
- You can mix different colors- To create your own unique shades.
- Gel colors are concentrated- This means a little goes a long way. Start by adding a small amount and add more, as necessary. Your bottles will last you a long time.
- I highly recommend wearing disposable gloves- Especially if you are making dark shades. These colors will stain your nails and fingers and it takes quite a few washings to get rid of them.
- If your work area gets stained- Just wiping with a wet cloth doesn't work. However, these stains can easily be removed with a strong cleaning spray. Better yet, protect your counters by lining your work area with a silicon mat that you can wash with soap and water later.
- If you are making a large quantity of the same color- It's best to just add that gel color when you are mixing in all the ingredients. You will already be kneading and mixing the marshmallows and sugar. You might as well add color too, just so you don't have to do it later.
- Natural color alternatives- I really don't like them nor do I recommend them. They are usually made with beets, turmeric and are yield very dull shades.
Storage
- Room temperature- For best storage, wrap unused tinted fondant tightly in plastic saran wrap and then place in a sealed container. Store this away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture.
- Refrigerate- This is not recommended since the moisture from the refrigerator can make fondant sticky.
- Freeze- This is not recommended since the fondant can become sticky upon thawing.
- Make ahead- Tinted fondant can easily be prepared 1-2 day in advance.
kelly
Hi,
Can I use fondant already coloured to colour white fondant? hope that makes sense!
Abeer Rizvi
Yes, you can use pre-colored fondant to color white fondant. But you will end up with a lighter shade... almost like pastel colors, which is quite pretty. If you want bright colored fondant, you will have to use gel colors. Hope this helps
jen
How can I store cake toppers after they are made? And how would I so so? I
Abeer Rizvi
I keep them in a cardboard box or even a big cupcake box. Make sure to keep the box in a place that's not exposed to moisture or sunlight.
Adriana
Very helpful post. I'm having a problem with my colored fondant, instead of darkened it has gotten lighter by various shades (started with pink but end up with a very pale almost white pink). Do I need to let the color sit to develop before I use it? Do it loose color if left outside at room temperature without covering? I'm making a none edible "cake topper" with little flowers which I leave on my counter as I work my way to finish it.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Abeer Rizvi
If your fondant in exposed to sunlight, the color will fade. I think that's what's happening in your case. When you are waiting for the pieces to dry, make sure to keep them in a cardboard box or a cupcake box but don't seal the box. Just put the cover on loosely so that they are not exposed to any light.
Becky
You should always use a new toothpick every time you get color gel out of bottle to help keep contaminants out of you color gels.
Abeer Rizvi
I agree! I forgot to include that in this post but I will edit it to include this as well. Thanks!
Leah
wow, i can not wait to try your fondant! your work is amazing... MA
I will try your fondant and let you know my result soon... great job and thanks for sharing with us.
Abeer Rizvi
Thanks Hana! I appreciate your sweet comment and hope you enjoy working with fondant as much as me!
lucia martinez
Hello,
I tried adding the same wilson red christmas color to it but it gave me a pink color the more i added the gross it got as a taste in my mouth. What can i do to make it a bright red? I also tried adding the gel when the marshmallow. Was nelted and still got the same color.
Abeer Rizvi
Red fondant and black fondant are both hard to make. A lot of people just buy ready-made red fondant from Satin Ice or Wilton. When you make it at home, you have to add a lot of red gel coloring and unfortunately that can make it taste a little weird. But, if you let your dark pink fondant sit for a week, the color will deepen and turn red.
angela
just want to clarify when to add color. you say that you can add it while mixing fondant, but the details of the tutorial show adding color once fondant is made. just want to be sure either is correct. thanks.
Abeer Rizvi
Color can easily be added while you are making fondant. But then, you will end up with a big ball of fondant in just 1 color.
I like to prepare my fondant first and then break it up into smaller balls and color each ball a different color. This way, I have a bunch of different colored fondants all ready to use any time.
Hope this helps
angela
yes, thank you!!
Marianne
Can I mix color into my fondant using a Kitchen Aid stand mixer?
Abeer Rizvi
I tried that once and I wasn't very satisfied. The color didn't fully blend in. I would still suggest kneading in the color with your hands but make sure to wear disposable gloves so that you don't stain your hands
Becky
Do yoi have tips on getting a deeper/darker blue. I cant seem to get my blue to be a dark as in your picture....same with my frosting
carol hill
Hi was reading about modelling fondant.You can place it in an air tight bag & place in freezer which I do.Also you can colour chocolate with gel it works fine, you dont have to use choc melts they havnt been around just more expensive I find and taste the same.Thanks
Abeer Rizvi
I use modeling chocolate, mainly for making flowers and cake toppers and not for covering cakes. But, it's good to hear I can freeze it now too. Thanks!