A Beginner's Guide to Cake Airbrushing and Colours

Airbrushing in a nutshell:

• Airbrushing is a technique that enables you to spray colouring over a wider area of your cake or create finer detail
• It is crucial to buy Airbrush Colours as they are specifically designed to be compatible with an airbrush machine. 
• Airbrush colours are either alcohol based or water based, and both have their pros and cons. 
• Brands of airbrush colouring we recommend are Fractal Colors, Sugarflair and Magic Colours.

New to the world of airbrushing? If you’ve got questions, we have the answers! Here, in our beginner’s guide to cake airbrushing and airbrush colours, we’ll cover how it works, what to use it for and help troubleshoot any issues you’re experiencing.

Jump to:

The Basics: How Cake Airbrushing Works
Why Your Airbrush Colour Matters Most
Recommended Airbrush Colour Brands
Step-by-Step: How to Airbrush a Cake
Troubleshooting
Cake Airbrushing FAQs

The Basics: How Cake Airbrushing Works

An airbrush machine is a small, handheld device which pushes liquid colouring through a motorised compressor. The colouring then comes out as a mist, which can be sprayed onto the surface of a cake by pulling the trigger. 

What is the difference between using a cake airbrush vs traditional hand-painting techniques/other techniques?

An airbrush allows you to cover much larger areas in a shorter period of time than traditional hand-painted techniques. By gently misting the colour across the cake, you can save a lot of time.

Why Airbrushing Saves the Day

The issue: Gel, paste and dust food colours have to be kneaded into the medium you are using. Modelling chocolate tastes amazing, but it can melt into mush if you try to knead liquid or gel colouring into it. Chocolate itself requires a very specific type of colouring (oil-based) in order to colour it properly. And while fondant colours easily, it might not always have the taste you are after.

The Fix: Airbrushing allows you to use delicious, structurally sound mediums (like modelling chocolate or buttercream) by simply painting the outside, completely bypassing the structural breakdown. 

Why Your Airbrush Colour Matters Most 

When it comes to cake airbrushing, one of the most important things to focus on is purchasing the right colourings.

Airbrush colours are specifically designed for use with an airbrush machine. They have been formulated exactly for this purpose, giving optimum results and a beautiful finish. And, crucially, they don’t risk damage to your airbrush through clogging.

While it is possible to make your own colourings with a high-quality gel colouring mixed with alcohol, this can lead to a clogged airbrush machine and lumpy colours. It is also more time-consuming, as you have to work to create the right mix of colouring and alcohol before you begin.

How to deal with “overspray”

Overspray is a very common issue when working with an airbrush machine. As the term suggests, this is when a mist of airbrush colouring sprays out further than your cake, onto walls and work surfaces.

A simple DIY hack for this is to build a simple, cheap spray booth out of a large cardboard box to protect the kitchen counters from a fine mist of food colouring.

What is the difference between water-based airbrush colours and alcohol-based airbrush colours?

Water-based and ethanol-based airbrush colourings each have their pros and cons. From drying time to pricing, and uses and flammability, here is a breakdown of the differences between the two.

Recommended Airbrush Colour Brands 

So, you’ve invested in your airbrush machine, and you understand the importance of buying specifically formulated colourings. Let’s talk about airbrush colour brands!

Sugarflair

Sugarfair is an iconic name in the cake decorating world, and their airbrush colours are popular with professional cake artists and hobbyists alike. Based in the UK, they have a stunning collection of both matte and shimmering finishes.

Best for: Chocolate - the Sugarflair airbrush colours are all ethanol-based, making them ideal for chocolate.

Fractal Colors

Fractal Colors is a fantastic cake decorating brand, best known for the fact that all of their products are vegan, GMO-free, allergen free and Halal certified. Their stunning collection of water-based airbrush colourings also comes in matte and shimmering finishes.

Best for: Fondant/Sugarpaste, and for cakes with special dietary requirements.

Magic Colours

The Magic Colours airbrush colours collection boasts a wide range of shades in both classic matte and eye-catching metallic finishes. While they offer both water-based and alcohol based options, the popular metallic range is all alcohol based.

Best for: Metallic cake designs

Recommended Colours

Airbrushing is a great way of decorating a wide range of cakes, but ombre designs are particularly easy to create with this technique. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

For a Sunset Effect - you’ll need a red, an orange and a yellow.

Try Fractal Colors Red, Orange and Lemon Yellow FlowAir Airbrush Colours

For an Ocean Effect - you’ll need a dark blue, a lighter blue and a white.

Try Fractal Colors Royal Blue, Sky Blue and White FlowAir Airbrush Colours

Galaxy Effect - you’ll need a dark blue, a purple, a white and a metallic gold

Try Fractal Colors Royal Blue, Lilac and White FlowAir Airbrush Colours and Gold Shine ShimmAir Airbrush Colouring.

Step-by-Step: How to Airbrush a Cake

Essential Supplies for Airbrushing

• An Airbrush Gun

• Airbrush Colours

• A Turntable

1. Add the Colour: Drop 3-4 drops of airbrush colour into the cup on top of your gun.

2. Hold it Correctly: Hold the airbrush like a pen, keeping the nozzle about 4 to 6 inches away from the surface.

3. Trigger Control: If you have a dual-action brush, press down for air and gently pull back for colour.

4. Keep Moving: Never hold the airbrush still while spraying. Keep your hand moving in smooth, sweeping side-to-side motions. Use short bursts to avoid blasting the cake with too much colour at once.

Troubleshooting

Why do cake airbrush colours bead on buttercream?

Water-based airbrush colours can bead on buttercream because of how the water content interacts with the fats in the buttercream. This is most likely to happen if you hold the airbrush too close to the cake when spraying it. Try using alcohol-based airbrush colours and/or holding the airbrush further away. 

Also, make sure the cake isn’t too cold when you begin airbrushing - this can cause condensation.

Can you use regular gel food colouring in an airbrush?

It is technically possible to use regular gel food colouring in an airbrush if you mix it with alcohol, but we strongly advise against it. It can clog the airbrush.

How can I change airbrush colours? 

To change the colouring in your airbrush:

Step 1: Pour out any remaining colouring
Step 2: Flush out the machine with some airbrush cleaner. Spray this until it runs clear, so you know the machine is totally free of the previous colour.
Step 3: Gently scrub with a brush if needed to remove any stubborn colour.
Step 4: Dry thoroughly.
Step 5: Pour in your next colour and spray to test it.

FAQs

Which airbrush colour should I use for fondant, buttercream or chocolate?

Because of their faster drying time, alcohol/ethanol based airbrush colours are generally favoured by professionals for most mediums.

For chocolate: Choose alcohol based airbrush colours ONLY for chocolate, as water-based colours can seize the chocolate.

For buttercream and royal icing: Choose alcohol based airbrush colours for best results with buttercream and royal icing. Water-based colours can dissolve your royal icing crust.

For fondant/sugarpaste: Either water-based or ethanol/alcohol based airbrush colours work perfectly well on fondant icing.

Is my cake airbrush colour still safe to use if it has separated or thickened in the bottle?

If your airbrush colour has separated, give it a good shake for 30 to 60 seconds. If the liquid mixes back together, into its original form, it should be fine to use.

We do not recommend using airbrush colour which has thickened, as it may clog your airbrush machine.

Can I use airbrush colours without an airbrush?

Absolutely! Airbrush colours can be used with ordinary food-safe brushes for painting designs onto your cakes, cookies and cupcake toppers. 

Are airbrush colours vegan?

Many brands have vegan airbrush colour options, but it is important to check the ingredients list on each individual product to confirm. However, the whole range of products from Fractal Colors is vegan.

Let’s build your airbrush colours kits!

Now you know exactly how decorating a cake with an airbrush works, you can get ready to try this technique on your future bakes! 

Be sure to share your beautiful airbrush designs with us by tagging us at @the_cake_decorating_co and using the hashtag #CakeDecFamous for a chance to be featured!

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