Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi there…am trying out red velvet recipes for a layer of a wedding cake as am making later in the year……never tasted one, so that was first problem. Just made a deep 8″ sponge, and recipe calls for 20 ml liquid food colouring……..think as have made a mislabel…used 20 ml ish of Sugarflair extra red colouring…lovely red colour, but bits of sponge Imhave tasted have quite an aftertaste…….should I have maybe only used a small amount of the Sugarflair diluted in water to take up to the volume in the recipe?…..

Really worried about this…first ever wedding cake, and bride is Canadian so she will know a good one from a bad one.

Help please,!

Thanks

Linda

The Sugarflair colour is much more concentrated than the liquid colours which are normally used in red velvet. 20ml of concentrate will make a bitter after taste of dye. The best way to use concentrates is little by little on a cocktail stick adding it to the butter sugar mix during creaming. If the colour softens when the flour is folded in add a little more mix until you get a shade slightly darker than require. Colours can sometimes fade during baking, hence making the batter a shade darker.

It really does taste like I have been chewing tin foil….horrible!……would it work if I dilute say 1/4 tsp in 20 ml of water to make the appropriate amount of liquid as stated in the recipe?

Really need to crack this one!

You can try if you want but the best way really is to use a little at a time. That’s what sugarflair recommend, I found the information earlier on and thought I had posted but the whole thing just disappeared, now I can’t find it! So annoying. I use only ProGel professional colours and don’t really have a lot of experience with the one you have for use in cake. I wouldn’t like to tell you wrong.

Hi just wanted to add I uesd the same red colouring in red velvet cup cakes thank god for home but ended up in the bin tasted so bitter somi think miwl is right just a little at a time or use another brand good luck with the cake hun
Sue

Hi folks……can report a success with the red velvet nemesis!……I used barely 1/4 tsp diluted in 20 mls of water…..produced a nice red sponge and no aftertaste to speak of…….the recipe yields 2 x 8″ deep sponges…each a little over 2″ themselves…….ironically on researching this recipe, a lot of feedback seems to be its a bit of a ‘nothing’ cake……not quite a chocolate cake, and not quite a sponge!……..would prob not chose to make it again……..prefer a good carrot cake myself! X

Hi Mrscloudy1

I don’t make it for this very reason and because of the dye. Some folk use beetroot juice but I believe the colour can become a little brownish. I have never seen a truly red, red velvet cake, so not quite convinced with it.
Thanks though for your feed back on quantities.

I am with you on the colouring issue!….not even keen on colouring my buttercream….but you have to give your customers what the want…ish!…….but I agree…..red velvet will not be routinely offered as an option…….! X

When you first posted your question I did have a look around for natural food colourings. I found some stuff on youtube, unfortunately the colours which are obtained from fruit purees would not hold up to baking and retaining vibrancy. They didn’t look too bad for cupcake frosting but even then colours like purple and blue where somewhat lost. When I was at the cake show in November I came across a company called Magic colours. They make lots of natural products. I was given several samples to try at home which I did. I found they’re not suitable for gumpaste colouring because they are too liquid. I tried colouring my modelling chocolate to no avail. In fillings and frostings, too much has to be used to get a bright colour but at least there is no after taste. I haven’t bought any from them, but if they’re at the London show in April I will query colour depth. The product isn’t particularly cheap. x

Oooh!…..I am going down for the show with my long suffering other Half too…we have tickets for the Thursday…..might bump into you!….I will wear a red carnation!…….will def look for the colouring stand tho…it is driving me mad!…..all this for one cake!….wish she wanted chocolate!…x

I’ll look out for you! I’m afraid we have to give customers what they want. At least I don’t really have to worry too much since most of my ‘customers’ are family and friends and they have to accept what I feel comfortable with. I would hate to give a cake which didn’t taste very nice. I’m sure yours will be lovely.