Last Updated on December 3, 2022
Not sure how to make your desserts more exciting? Looking for the perfect frosting color for a formal event? Whether you are going to a wedding, having a birthday party, or hosting any sort of celebration, having cupcakes or cake with royal blue frosting buttercream will add an elegant touch.
This article will tell you how to make royal blue buttercream and all the things you will need for it. Royal blue is the perfect color for any special occasion as it is a popular color for weddings, suits, and formal dresses. It was created in England in the 1800s as a dress for Queen Charlotte.
Making royal blue buttercream is simple and a great way to bring some color to your dessert decorating. Royal blue is a sophisticated color, that is sure to brighten up any event. You’ll love how this easy change to your white buttercream will make a beautiful and versatile frosting.
What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial
To make this royal blue buttercream frosting you will need homemade or store-bought buttercream, royal blue food coloring, a medium bowl, and an electric mixer.
Homemade Vanilla Buttercream
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Know the Most Common Baking Conversion Measurements
Royal Blue Food Coloring
Royal blue food coloring can be found in most grocery stores and online. Food coloring often has a long shelf life, so one bottle should last you a while.
There are several different types of food coloring such as liquid gel, powder, gel paste, and traditional. Liquid gel is the best kind for frosting, as it is more concentrated, so you need less, and it is less likely to affect the taste of the food. However, any type of food coloring will work.
If you do not have royal blue food coloring, you can make your own. For every 2 ½ cups of frosting, you can add 12 drops of blue food coloring and three to four drops of red food coloring.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Mix Powdered Sugar and Butter
In a medium bowl mix powdered sugar and butter with an electric mixer at low speed until fully combined. You may also use a wooden spoon with you do not have an electric mixer.
Step Two: Add Vanilla and Milk
Add the vanilla and one tablespoon of milk to the mixture. Mix until fully combined.
Step Three: Add in the Remaining Milk
Gradually beat in the remaining tablespoon of milk until the frosting has reached a smooth and spreadable consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add a few drops of milk at a time until it reaches a creamy consistency. If the frosting is too runny, add a small amount of powdered sugar until it thickens up.
Step Four: Add the Food Coloring
Once the frosting is fully mixed, add the food coloring. It will take approximately 70-80 drops of royal blue food coloring for four cups of frosting to reach the desired shade. If you are making your royal blue, add 20-22 drops of blue food coloring and six to eight drops of red food coloring. Thoroughly mix the food coloring in the frosting until it is fully mixed. You may add more food coloring if it does not come out of your desired shade.
When adding the royal blue food coloring to your frosting, it is best to add the smaller number of recommended drops and then add more if needed. This will help you reach the desired shade of royal blue easier. If the frosting is too dark, you can add white food coloring to help lighten it until you reach your desired shade.
It is important to make sure the food coloring is thoroughly mixed in to avoid any streaks or inconsistencies in the frosting.
Tips and Tricks
If you already have a favorite buttercream frosting recipe, you can use that to make royal blue buttercream. It is best to follow the ratio of 40 drops of royal blue food coloring for every two cups of frosting. However, you might need to add more to reach a vibrant royal blue food coloring.
Though 80 drops of food coloring might seem like a lot of food coloring for four cups of frosting, it will likely be just the right amount to achieve the perfect royal blue food coloring. To put it in perspective, 100 drops of food coloring is only about one teaspoon worth.
Though royal blue frosting is beautiful, it may cause staining. Make sure to be careful not to get it on any of your clothes, as the blue color may be hard to get off and may even permanently stain clothing. The royal blue color may also stain your lips, tongue, and teeth temporarily.
This frosting can be stored in an airtight container for two to three days. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to six months.
After being stored, the frosting may separate from the food coloring, so it will likely need to be remixed. The color might also change over time, so you may need to adjust accordingly.
Royal blue food coloring also works with cakes, cookies, and most doughs. It adds a vibrant blue color that turns out beautiful when baked. Royal blue is also a great shade of blue to use for any desserts you make for the Fourth of July.
How to Make Royal Blue Buttercream
Equipment
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Step One: Mix Powdered Sugar and Butter
- In a medium bowl mix powdered sugar and butter with an electric mixer at low speed until fully combined. You may also use a wooden spoon with you do not have an electric mixer.
- Step Two: Add Vanilla and Milk
- Add the vanilla and one tablespoon of milk to the mixture. Mix until fully combined.
- Step Three: Add in Remaining Milk
- Gradually beat in remaining tablespoon of milk until the frosting has reached a smooth and spreadable consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add a few drops of milk at a time until it reaches a creamy consistency. If the frosting is too runny, add a small amount of powdered sugar until it thickens up.
- Step Four: Add the Food Coloring
- Once the frosting is fully mixed, add the food coloring. It will take approximately 70-80 drops of royal blue food coloring for four cups of frosting to reach the desired shade. If you are making your own royal blue, add 20-22 drops of blue food coloring and six to eight drops of red food coloring. Thoroughly mix the food coloring in the frosting until it is fully mixed. You may add more food coloring if it does not come out your desired shade.
Notes
- If you already have a favorite buttercream frosting recipe, you can use that to make royal blue buttercream. It is best to follow the ratio of 40 drops of royal blue food coloring for every two cups of frosting. However, you might need to add more to reach a vibrant royal blue food coloring.
- Though 80 drops of food coloring might seem like a lot of food coloring for four cups of frosting, it will likely be just the right amount to achieve the perfect royal blue food coloring. To put in perspective, 100 drops of food coloring is only about one teaspoon worth.
- Though royal blue frosting is beautiful, it may cause staining. Make sure to be careful not to get it on any of your clothes, as the blue color may be hard to get off and may even permanently stain clothing. The royal blue color may also stain your lips, tongue, and teeth temporarily.
- This frosting can be stored in an airtight container for two to three days. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and the freezer for up to six months.
- After being stored, the frosting may separate from the food coloring, so it will likely need to be remixed. The color might also change over time, so you may need to adjust accordingly.
- Royal blue food coloring also works with cakes, cookies, and most doughs. It adds a vibrant blue color that turns out beautiful when baked. Royal blue is also a great shade of blue to use for any desserts you make for the Fourth of July.
Understanding Cake & Frosting Colors!
How do you make yellow cake blue?
If you’re looking to dye your yellow cake blue, there are a few ways you can achieve this. The easiest way to do this is to add a few drops of blue food coloring to the cake batter and keep mixing. However, this will make a subtle blue, which may not be what you’re looking for.
You can try adding more food coloring or using gel food coloring instead. Gel food coloring tends to give the best results if you’re looking for vibrant colors. You can also use these in your frosting too, so your can cake looks like an explosion of the color blue.
Why does my blue cake turn green?
You may notice that your blue cake has green undertones, or may even look slightly green once it’s baked. This is because typically the color of your batter will be off-white/yellow because of the addition of butter and eggs. When blue food coloring is added to the batter mix, it may look slightly green as the colors yellow and green make blue.
How do you make blue chocolate frosting?
It all depends on the shade of blue you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a dark blue, you can simply add a few drops of blue food coloring and mix as you usually would. However, it’s impossible to achieve a vibrant or bright blue when it comes to coloring chocolate frosting. The only colors you can achieve when dying chocolate frosting are darker colors such as purple, dark green, and red/maroon.
How do you make sky-blue icing?
Sky blue icing is relatively easy to achieve. If you’re able to buy the Wilton Sky Blue food coloring, this would be ideal. You can buy this from most crafting stores and it’s easily accessible online.
However, if you need to make it from traditional blue food coloring, you’ll need blue and red food coloring. Make your buttercream as you usually would (these measurements are for 2 1/2 cups of frosting) and then add 12 drops of blue food coloring. Mix the coloring with a spoon and then add 1 drop of red food coloring.
This will take you from a teal color to a sky blue. If you need to, add another drop of red food coloring.
How do you change green icing to blue?
Changing green icing to blue can be quite tricky. However, if your icing has turned green and you need to make it blue, I’ve found adding a very small amount of purple food coloring to the icing can help achieve this.
How do you make royal blue swiss meringue buttercream?
Before you begin, you need to ensure your buttercream is at room temperature. Then take around 1/4 cup of buttercream and add your gel blue food coloring. Place the colored buttercream into the microwave for just a few seconds.
It will be melted and that’s fine. Mix well and you’ll see that the color is much more vibrant than before. Pour the bowl of melted buttercream into the rest of your buttercream and stir. If you haven’t reached the color you’re looking for, repeat this process until you have the color blue that you need.
How to Make Blue Buttercream Without Food Colouring?
If you’re wanting to make blue buttercream using any artificial colorings, we’re here to help! This may sound whacky, but it works. All you need to do is slice up red cabbage leaves and place them in a saucepan.
Boil for around 10-15 minutes. Once ready, strain the cabbage and then reduce the liquid. After a while, it’ll become thicker. At this point, it’ll be dark purple and you need to add a very small amount of baking powder. Keep adding the baking powder gradually until your coloring turns the blue you’re looking for. Now use as you would traditional food coloring.
A Stunning Royal Blue Frosting
This royal blue frosting is sure to be a showstopper at any event. The combination of the striking royal blue color and delicious buttercream frosting makes it the perfect addition to your desserts. It is simple to make, and the royal blue color is beautiful.
Whether for a wedding, birthday party, graduation, or baby shower, this royal blue buttercream is a great choice thanks to its versatility. If you tried this frosting, please share your experience making it.
Please share and comment if you enjoyed this article or have any remarks regarding this recipe!
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.
