Cake Decorating

Airbrushing Advice for Silver colour

Hi all…if wanting to attain a silver colour when airbrushing say something like the presentation board (or anything really for that matter)..would you more experienced cakers out there colour your fondant say a grey colour first or just spray onto white fondant with a silver airbrush colour?? I know it probably would seem like defeating the purpose of an airbrush if you colour the fondant/gumpaste first…but just wondered with an effect like silver whether that would be a better way to go? Appreciate any advice guys…thank you.

9 Replies

I have never tried to airbrush silver on a cake. I have only used petal dust in vodka to paint on silver. But anyway I think I would tint the fondant a very very light grey to give the silver a base. Curious to see how others would do this.

Jennifer, https://www.facebook.com/PrimaCakesandCookies

Thanks for your reply Prima Cakes Plus…yes I think, on trying it out on little pieces of fondant that it is probably the way to go.! Thank you.

I tint my fondant first…. I have not put silver put through my airbrush either… although i recently purchase gold airbrush colour (have not tried it yet). I also mix silver with vodka and paint on….

Julez, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allways-Cakes/450634018350115?ref=hl

Thanks for your input Julez, I only recently got my airbrush & although I have practised on paper etc., I must admit I am so scared of doing an actual cake tier…(the whole lot would have to come off if I stuffed up, ganache & all probably, so keep putting off airbrushing an actual tier :(

Looking through some other info it does seem that quite a lot of people do airbrush straight onto white, but maybe just a little hint of colour on the fondant first is the best way to go…your cakes are beautiful btw…just checked some out…oh to have half your talent!!

I found the main thing, was not to try and put too much on at once… you risk “beading” or “running”… although I have heard the dinky doodle colours go on dry… (I haven’t tried them). Try multiple thin coats. Good luck!…look forward to seeing your cakes!

Julez, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allways-Cakes/450634018350115?ref=hl

Keep the fondant white and then airbrush it silver. I’ve done it before, it works.

https://www.instagram.com/sweetshopcakes/

I airbrush directly on white paste and it works perfectly. But I guess it depends on the colours you are using. If you use petal dust dissolved in vodka probably would be better to have a grey base.

Elisabete Caseiro, Portugal, https://www.facebook.com/BetySugarland

I have heard others have coloured their fondant grey before airbrushing it silver…yes. but it goes on white also. I have not done this yet though. Metallics is something I have yet to try :-)

Claire North

Thank you all you lovely ladies for taking the time to reply. Well after doing a few little experiments on this, it seems that actually I did get a better result/silver colour spraying directly onto the white!! Would you believe though, after all this, that my airbrush even though only a couple of months old & barely used…stopped working:( I may end up having to use the silver sheen colour with a a paintbrush…very disappointing (do you add vodka to airbrush colours when hand painting with them?) However, for future reference, I would definitely now say to spray colours directly onto white fondant. Thanks again for your input guys, very much appreciated.