Coffee buttercream for 9/10 yos?

[dreamygirl]

DD1 is 10 soon and we're taking her bowling with a few friends. She's asked for a bowling cake which I don't think will be too bad, something like brownie tray bake and I've found a little tiny 10 pin bowling set to put on the top. For the light brown lane colour I was planning on coffee buttercream but suddenly thought would kids like that? as they tend not to drink coffee.
What do people think, in general would girls of 9 or 10 enjoy coffee buttercream? DD probably would but have discovered she's not typical in her food tastes.
If not can any

I made a coffee cake for DH recently and my 4yo hoovered it up. But then she's liked mince pies and Christmas cake since babyhood so she's probably not typical either.

I hate coffee cake btw :o

sorry!stupid phone posted before I was ready!
Was going to say can anyone recommend another way of doing pale brown buttercream that's not coffee?

Wow Gwendoline that was fast! Thanks, I wonder if I'll just have to quiz all the parents about their child's preference!!

My DD, 10yrs, wouldn't like it. Neither would I, 33yrs.

I'd stick with plain, choc or maybe fudge/caramel.

Isn't there a brown food colouring?

Could you not add a little cocoa or chocolate? Much more preferable!

Most children don't like coffee in my experience. If you made a vanilla buttercream with a little cocoa powder in and then whip it for 2 or 3 minutes it will give you the colour you want.

Thanks all, looks like I was right to assume that coffee's not a popular flavour. Not experimented much with things like that (I'm a stick-to-the-recipe person) so didn't have much idea about doing shades of brown. I do know there's a brown food colouring but in my experience it goes quite dark quite quickly.
I'll go with the cocoa plan, I think - it will work well with a chocolate cake.

When I make coffee cake I don't actually use coffee, I use Camp (which is coffee and chicory essence) for both the sponge and buttercream. MY DD has loved this since she was about 7. She still (now nearly 11) doesn't like coffee.

both my little boys 3 & 6 love coffee cake. You can use gravy browning to add depth of colour. I add it to my buttercream or mascarpone to take away the weak colour.

Personally, I wouldnt add cocoa to buttercream it makes it very sickily and gritty (revolting to me). I would use a real chocolate granche with added icing sugar. Makes a more palitable, smooth taste and looks great. Once set you can smooth it on and sets lovely.

Well I have just made a coffee cake for my DS's birthday and my two DS's (age 5 & 8) couldn't get enough. I use instant coffee dissolved in water in both the cake mix and the butter cream and they can't get enough.

I too would just add a small amount of melted dark chocolate to a regular buttercream. 15-20g maybe? Who knows... build it up I reckon.

I've made light brown water icing before, not buttercream. Can't fully remember how I made it but it certainly involved golden syrup.

What about using a tea bag - make yourself a cuppa and then use the same bag in a small amount of water if needed to get some colour out of the tealeaves. May taste of tea a bit but I care for a 7 year old who has the occasional weak tea.

Bit of experimenting I guess is needed.

"Personally, I wouldnt add cocoa to buttercream it makes it very sickily and gritty"

I don't find that it does. Cocoa wouldn't make it sickly as it is quite bitter on its own. Are you sure you aren't confusing it with drinking chocolate? You can dissolve the cocoa into a bit of hot water first then add it to the buttercream. I always find I need to add a drop of fluid (milk/orange juice/lemon juice/strong coffee etc) to buttercream to get the right consistency anyway.