Colouring problems

[doradoo]

I've just begun making novelty cakes for my DCs birthdays (see profile for pics) but I'm having trouble getting good colours on my icing.

I make my own marshmallow fondant (live overseas and can't buy ready roll icing here) which I colour with simple food colours. I can't seem to get the depth/brightness I'm after. I know red is a problem colour - but I can't get the blue I want deep enough either.

Now is it a question of quality - should I buy some proper sugarcraft paste type colours, is it a question of quantity - do I just keep on adding till I get the right colour?

Suggestions gratefully received!

I would say to try the paste food colouring. I used to use liquid, but have switched to paste and wouldn't go back. Maybe just get red + blue to start and see how you get on, or get yellow too then you can mix any colour, eventually!

The trouble with liquid colouring is that you need such a huge amount to get a decent colour that you end up with too much liquid and a horrible flavour.

I'd order some paste or gel colouring off Internet, they're quite expensive (?2) per colour, but apparently a little bit goes a long way, so they work out relatively cheap!

Paste colours, definitely. Even then it will take you a lot to get "proper" red.

Also colour in advance, then wrap it and leave it overnight - the colour will "develop" a bit with time - especially black, but also red.