How to Make Black Frosting Without Dye

Make black frosting with cocoa powder.

Black frosting can be difficult to make, as food coloring and other dyes often leave the frosting grey instead of black and remedying the situation with more food coloring only makes the frosting bitter. For those who don't mind a little cocoa flavoring, frosting can be colored black without the use of dyes.

Things You'll Need

• Sifter
• 1/2 cup high quality cocoa
• Mixing bowl
• 2 cups buttercream frosting
• 1 ounce black icing
• Hand mixer

Instructions

1. Sift 1/2 cup high-quality cocoa into a mixing bowl.

2. Add 2 cups buttercream frosting, 1 ounce black icing and 2 teaspoons of water to the sifted cocoa.

3. Mix these ingredients together with a hand mixer until the frosting is smooth and without clumps.

Tips & Warnings

• Add more buttercream frosting if the cocoa makes the frosting too bitter.

• Double the amount of ingredients for larger cakes.

References

• Wilton; How to Make Black Buttercream Icing; Sandy Folsom; August 2010