My favourite food colors

As you may know I have a soft spot for soft pastel colors. So I have decided to show you some of my favourite food colors that I have in my tool box. Although I have a lot of different colors I always end up using colors from the same box.

I’m not sure why, but I have really difficulties working with strong powerful colors. So when I have to use more strong colors (often for boy themes) I still keep the colors soft.

There are a lot of different food color brands on the market, maybe more than the ones that I know of. So far I have three favourite brands: AmeriColor, Sugar Flair and Squires Kitchen. I have used the ones I love the most for color samples. I have also made some color samples of the green colors that I use for gumpaste leaves and royal icing piped wines. It is often two green colors mixed into a new color.

Lets start, from left to right.
1. Pink: My most used pink color are Pink/Sugar Flair. Here shown in three color tones, from light to dark.

2. Yellow: Cream/Sugar Flair, Melon/Sugar Flair, Cream & Melon mixed together, Orange/AmeriColor.

3. Green: Party Green/Sugar Flair, Mint Green/Sugar Flair, Avocado/AmeriColor, Spruce Green/Sugar Flair.

4. Green mixed: Party Green and a small dot of Spruce Green, Spruce Green and a dot of Party Green, Avocado and a dot of Party Green (Leaf green from AmeriColor could be used instead).

5. Blue: Ice Blue/Sugar Flair. Shown in two tones, Hydrangea/Squires Kitchen, Wisteria/Squires Kitchen.

6. Purple: /AmeriColor. Shown in two tones.

7. Ivory and Brown: Caramel/ivory/Sugar Flair, Dark Brown/Sugar Flair.

I hope that you can find inspiration to maybe try out some new colors?

Happy Caking!

Louise

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Lucy says:

Feb 15, 2011

I saw this page and book marked it a while back but just wanted to say thank you so much, Louise. This is my go-to page for colours!
I am just starting out my little colour collection haha, but its so difficult to choose a colour out of all the different ones available. Many sites don’t actually show you what they look like in fondant!

One question though, which purple did you use? I finally found a UK site that stocks Americolor and they have Electric Purple (out of stock), Violet and Regal Purple. I love the tone of the one you’ve used!

Anonymous says:

Regal Purple, Just forgot to write “Regal” in the post

Feb 18, 2011

Thanks so much, Louise

Fairladyofohio says:

Feb 10, 2011

could you help me out,can’t get a “true red ” royal icing, What if any can I add to my plain red to get a true red ? like a Christmas or Valentine Red ? thank you
Jeannie

Try and use the Poinsetta red powder from Crystal Colors together with the super red from Americolor. I used this combination with some rolled fondant and it gave a really pretty red. You can read more about the Crystal Colors here: http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/crystal-colors-review Remember that with royal icing let it rest a day or two. This will help the color to mature and getting more “dark”

Jan 28, 2011

Alessia, I would recommend you to buy Sugar Flair. Sugar flair also have 3 extra strength colors: black, red and green. Squires Kitchen: Wisteria color is a “must have” because it is such a pretty blue color The Valentine cake that I made last year is Wisteria http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/valentines-cake-with-roses. I have written in the post both color and brand. Even though I have all the colors from SF I often only use those listed in the post.