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how to make watercolor cakes at home

by America Ratke Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

How do you make a watercolor cake?

Now your ready to “watercolor.” The best thing about making a watercolor cake is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. Ashley used gel food color mixed it with a bit of Everclear alcohol. For the petals, she used Americolor orange and electric pink (which are the same colors used for the coral fondant for the bottom tier of the cake).

How do you paint a cake with buttercream?

“Paint” the Cake – Using an offset spatula, smudge the frosted bake with swipes of the colored buttercream. The step can be as random or as calculated as you’d like. There really is no right or wrong way.

Can you make a pink and yellow cake with Swiss meringue?

So instead of a watercolor pink and yellow cake, you might just get an orange one. I’ve successfully made this cake design with both Swiss meringue buttercream and American buttercream. Swiss meringue takes a lot more gel food coloring to get the desired colors, FYI.

How do you smooth colored frosting on a cake?

Smooth and Smear – As you would when smoothly frosting any cake, take an icing smoother and begin smoothing out the bits of colored frosting. Stop after each time around the cake to add more frosting when needed. Please note that this process should be quick yet deliberate.

How are watercolor cakes made?

How to Make a Watercolor CakeFrost the Cake – Using your favorite buttercream of choice (I used Swiss meringue buttercream, but American buttercream is fine, as well), smoothly frost the cake about 90% of the way. ... Color the Buttercream – Divide any remaining buttercream into two or three bowls.More items...•

How do you make homemade watercolors?

Mix 1 cup hot water with ½ cup Gum Arabic Powder. Then, add in 1/5 cup honey or glycerin (a little less than ¼ cup). To help preserve the mixture, add two drops of clove or thyme essential oil. For a stronger preservative, you can use sodium benzoate, a food grade preservative (1/2 - 1 tsp.)

How do you frost a cake in watercolor?

Step 1: Frost the Cake with a Base Color. First, frost the cake. ... Step 2: Color the Buttercream. Divide the excess buttercream into bowls, one for each color you're planning on mixing. ... Step 3: Add and Smooth the Colors. ... Step 4: Add More Colors One by One. ... Step 5: Continue Decorating (Optional)

How do you make edible water color?

InstructionsPlace your food coloring into a glass jar.Pour in your Everclear.Mix and cover with the lid. Let the mixture cure overnight.Strain out the gel clumps. Now your edible water color is ready to use.

How do you watercolor without watercolor?

3:114:39Watercolor painting without Watercolor?! CHALLENGE with ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo so beautiful so bright and strong and it's very easy to use this technique you just need someMoreSo so beautiful so bright and strong and it's very easy to use this technique you just need some water some fineliners and a brush pen or brush just a brush and maybe some good watercolor paper.

Can you make watercolor with regular paint?

You can make your acrylic colors behave like watercolors, simply by thinning with a professional medium. Our Soft Body Acrylics and Acrylic Inks have a fluid consistency that build like traditional watercolors and due to the permanent nature of acrylics, you can build them without dissolving the layers.

Which water Colour cakes are best?

The Best Watercolor Paints ReviewedWinsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors. ... Prima Marketing Watercolor Confections: The Classics. ... Reeves 24-Pack Water Color Paint Set. ... Royal Talens Van Gogh Watercolors. ... Daniel Smith Introductory Watercolors.

How do you make an abstract cake?

0:143:33Painted Abstract Buttercream Cake | Cake Decorating - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWith a paintbrush i'm brushing strokes of buttercream down and upwards of the cake. I'm startingMoreWith a paintbrush i'm brushing strokes of buttercream down and upwards of the cake. I'm starting with one color first before i move on to the next. One i'm using halloweenish colors in this tutorial.

How do you make buttercream with watercolor?

0:0512:39Watercolor Buttercream Tutorial - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTogether. So it's half Swiss meringue half American but all butter. I had this is caramel.MoreTogether. So it's half Swiss meringue half American but all butter. I had this is caramel.

Are watercolors safe to eat?

Watercolors are made of pigments and binders. They are essentially non-toxic and are not expected to cause symptoms when ingested in small amounts. If your child has swallowed some watercolor, do not panic.

How do you make cake paint?

0:283:35How to: Make Edible Paint - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd today we're just going to use clear vodka. But you also can use a lemon extract. And almondMoreAnd today we're just going to use clear vodka. But you also can use a lemon extract. And almond extract any type of alcohol base extract.

How do you make fondant watercolor paint?

6:3410:57How to create a watercolor effect on fondant - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow I prefer to let the fondant dry a little bit when I'm water coloring on it a fresh fun it doesn'MoreNow I prefer to let the fondant dry a little bit when I'm water coloring on it a fresh fun it doesn't take to the water coloring. Quite as well as slightly dried fondant.

What can you use instead of watercolor paint?

To remedy my watercolor issues, I started using my acrylics as a watercolor instead. When diluted with water into a transparent wash, acrylic looks exactly like traditional watercolor paints. But, there are a few differences in them, which make me very happy. First, each wash of color will dry true to their color.

How can I make natural paint at home?

Process:Mix 2 Tbsp. casein powder with 5 oz. warm water, and let sit overnight.Discard the water that accumulates on the surface.Mix 1 Tbsp. borax with 4 oz. ... Mix a spoonful of the casein mix with pigment in a glass bowl or on your palette.Paint on wood, paper, or canvas. Add water if you want a watercolor effect.

How do you turn acrylic paint into watercolor?

You can dilute heavy body acrylics with water until they flow like watercolors. However, it's going to require a lot of water and this will make your colors look pale. You won't be able to achieve the intense vibrant colors that you're looking for.

How do you make watercolor without corn syrup?

Mix 2 parts baking soda with 1 part white vinegar. Pour 4 tablespoons (45 g) of baking soda into a measuring cup. Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of white vinegar. Give the mixture a stir, then let it finish fizzing.

The vegan buttercream

For this watercolor cake, I’m using my vegan buttercream recipe. But don’t worry, even non-vegan cake eaters absolutely LOVE this buttercream recipe. In fact, my mom claims it’s her favorite (which is always pretty cool to me!).

Vegan food colors

You can use your favorite food colors, but seeing as this is a vegan dessert blog, and many of my readers want natural colors, I wanted to let you know my favorite suggestions!

How to make a watercolor cake

Before we begin, you’ll need to map out what colors you’d like to use for your watercolor cake. A basic understanding of color mixing, primary colors, complementary colors, and how to make the secondary colors is key too if you plan on making your own colors.

How to paint a cake

Don’t let the idea of painting a cake make you fret! It’s actually easier than it sounds, and is almost like regular painting, just with buttercream!

Cake painting tips & tricks

Be aware of what colors you’re choosing to mix together. A great way to figure out some color ideas is by looking at a color wheel. You’ll learn which colors are complementary, which colors don’t work together, how to mix which colors to achieve your palette, etc.

More vegan cake recipes

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How to make a Watercolor Cake (with natural colors!)

Learn how to make a watercolor cake in the EASIEST way possible, yet still achieve that beautiful and elegant look! With step by step instructions and picture tutorials, you’re going to love making a watercolor cake!

You Will Need

A cake that’s been crumb coated and chilled (mine is a three layer 6 inch cake, but any size will do)

Step 1: Frost the Cake with a Base Color

First, frost the cake. You don’t need to worry about getting it super smooth this go round, but you will want to make sure it’s nice and level to serve as a base for the colors that will go on top.

Step 2: Color the Buttercream

Divide the excess buttercream into bowls, one for each color you’re planning on mixing. Add your desired amounts of food color gel to each bowl and mix it up until you’ve got the color palette you’re imagining.

Step 3: Add and Smooth the Colors

I start off the traditional watercolor buttercream way by adding all of the colors at once and then smoothing them with my icing smoother.

Step 4: Add More Colors One by One

To turn this streaky watercolor cake into a masterpiece, we’ll need to add the colors one by one. I like to add big blobs of one color (I started here with the dark fuchsia on top of those streaks), and smooth it all down before moving onto the next.

Step 5: Continue Decorating (Optional)

From here, you can keep on decorating the cake however you want! This watercolor base is perfect as-is or with some simple piping on top (as shown below using Wilton Tip 4B ).

1. Do the Dust

Watery paints can be hard to control on a cake, so skip ’em and try dusting and blending areas of color together using edible luster dust. This will give you a lot more control over where colors go and how they blend! MAKE IT

2. Airbrush Away

Another great tool you can use for a watercolor cake: an airbrush! Creating a watercolor design is pretty forgiving with this gadget. After all, if your color drips or pools a little, it only adds to the artistic look.

3. Blend With Buttercream

You can create a modern take on the watercolor effect by simply adding small splotches of buttercream to an already frosted cake. Dollop on blobs of tinted buttercream, then run an icing scraper around the side of your cake. The colors will streak together to make a gorgeous painted finish. So cool!

4. Hand-Paint a Beauty

If you love painting, this technique is for you! Break out a food-safe brush and dilute airbrush colors with lemon abstract. Then you can paint right on a fondant-covered cake just as you would on paper! (For this cake, we even went back and outlined the shapes with black for some extra pop.

5. Collage the Coolest Cake

There are tons of fun ways to use edible wafer paper, but this watercolor technique may just be our favorite. Start by brushing edible luster dust and gel colors onto your plain white wafer paper. Then, tear off pieces and apply them to a fondant-covered cake.

6. Make Mosaic Magic

A geometric tiled design AND watercolor details? Now you’re speaking our cake language. Add diluted gel colors to your fondant pieces before applying them to the cake for this funky vintage vibe.

STAMPS AND CAKE DECORATING

You can stamp outlines, or create impressions with stamps and can employ a wide variety of techniques. This easy watercolor flowers cake features techniques like watercolor painting, royal icing detail, impressing fondant, and more that is easy, quick to decorate, and perfect for all skill levels.

Iron Orchid Designs Stamps used in this Watercolor Cake

Ashley used the Peonies Stamp, but the Sunflowers, Chrysanthemums, Branches & Vines, and Grapes Stamps would also work well with this technique.

THE TOP TIER

Ashley used square tiers for this cake and paneled them. It’s much easier to stamp impress fondant before it is on the cake. This allows you to make an even impression and lessens the risk of stamping too hard and ripping the fondant. IOD Stamps are a favorite of Ashley’s because they’re durable, food-safe, and super high quality.

THE BOTTOM TIER

To make the coral color fondant, Ashley used Americolor orange and electric pink in a 2:1 ratio. She dusted sugar on the peonies stamp to match as a release agent. Firmly impress the tier with the stamp, but not too hard that the stamp pushes through the fondant.

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