Ever looked at a cake and thought, “That’s a work of art”? There’s a good chance food coloring played a role in making that masterpiece come to life. That’s where ENCO Naturals come in. These plant-based food color gels aren’t just vibrant—they’re incredibly versatile. With the right technique, you can paint on all kinds of surfaces to create stunning edible designs. Let’s walk through the top five ways to use ENCO Naturals and how to make each one work.

Let’s start with fondant—a classic canvas for edible painting. It’s smooth, stable, and forgiving, making it the perfect surface to start with. To turn ENCO Naturals into paint, simply mix a small amount of gel color with a clear alcohol like Everclear, or a clear extract such as lemon or almond. This mixture creates a fluid paint that dries quickly without softening the fondant. Use a soft brush and build your colors in layers for more intensity, letting each one dry before adding the next.

Now let’s talk about royal icing. Whether you're working with stiff, medium, or flood consistency, ENCO Naturals blend in seamlessly. Use them to color icing for cookie flooding, piped decorations, sprinkles, drip cakes, or floral transfers. Want to add detail after your icing dries? Dilute the gel with alcohol or extract and use the watercolor technique to paint directly on the dried surface. It’s perfect for names, florals, or abstract designs.

Next up: cake batter and cookie dough. Yes—you can actually paint your batter. Just add a few drops of your favorite ENCO Naturals shade, mix well to incorporate, and bake as usual. The magic? Our colors are heat-stable, so the vibrancy lasts even after baking. You can do the same with cookie dough to give your baked goods a fun twist—color inside and out.

Frostings are another great medium. Buttercream takes color beautifully—just add a few drops and mix to your desired shade. For white chocolate ganache, the process is a little more delicate. You’ll need our Chocolate Additive to help the color blend smoothly without affecting texture. But once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be able to tint all your frostings with ease.

So don’t be afraid to experiment. Start small—maybe a name on fondant or a watercolor accent on a cookie—and let your creativity grow. Ready to try it out? Tap here to visit our Amazon Store and grab your set of ENCO Naturals. And if you're hungry for more decorating tips, head over to our blog at ENCO Foods for tutorials, ideas, and inspiration.