How to Get a Natural Yellow or Orange for Buttercream and Royal Icing
If you are new to natural colors, start here. Yellow and orange are the most reliable natural shades you can work with, so they are the easiest place to build confidence before you tackle a tricky red or blue.
How do you make orange frosting?
Orange is a yellow with red added a little at a time, and it turns coral or brick quickly if the red goes in too fast. Work in small additions and mix fully between each. Or skip the guessing and use a premade orange. Start with a clean slate, a good homogenized blend of frosting, and stop one to two shades lighter, because naturals darken as they dry.
How do you make yellow frosting?
Yellow is the color most people over-correct, because it looks pale while wet and deepens as it dries. Add a small amount, mix fully, and judge the tone on a test piece that has set rather than in the bowl. Sunny is the cleaner everyday yellow and Marigold is the deeper golden one.
Why natural yellow or orange behaves the way it does
These colors come from carotenoids (the pigments in carrots, paprika, annatto, and marigold) and from turmeric. Carotenoids are among the most stable natural pigments, handling heat better than most and holding their color well. The one thing to know: turmeric, which gives a brilliant yellow, is the most light-sensitive natural, so keep bright yellows out of strong light. Overall, though, this family is forgiving.
The Sugar Art natural yellow or orange shades
Sunny is a warm everyday yellow, Marigold is a bolder saturated yellow, and Harvest is a rich golden orange.
All are plant-based, dye-free, water soluble, and built for buttercream and royal icing. They are not for chocolate.
Technique
- Build to taste. Natural color is weaker than synthetic, but yellows reach a bright, satisfying shade readily, so a little goes further here than with reds.
- Let it dry before judging. The shade deepens as it dries.
- Blend for oranges and golds. Mix Sunny or Marigold with a touch of Harvest for a custom orange.
- Keep bright yellows out of strong light. Turmeric-based yellow is the most light-sensitive natural, so store and display out of direct sun.
Common mistakes
- Letting a bright yellow sit in direct light and fade.
- Judging the shade while wet (it deepens as it dries).
- Trying to color chocolate with it (use a fat-soluble color for chocolate).
Shop natural yellow or orange
New to the dye-free shift? Start with our Dye-Free Decorating guide.
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Frequently asked questions
Are natural yellow and orange reliable?
Yes, they are the most stable natural colors, coming from carotenoids that handle heat and hold their color well.
Why did my natural yellow fade?
Turmeric-based yellow is the most light-sensitive natural. Keep decorated pieces out of direct light.
How do I make a natural orange?
Blend a yellow like Sunny or Marigold with Harvest orange for a custom orange.
Do they work in buttercream and royal icing?
Yes, both. They are water soluble and not for chocolate.