Red Velvet COLOR SECRETS
The trick to using our Red Velvet Color when baking cakes and cupcakes is to lower the pH. Some ways to do this is by substituting baking powder in place of baking soda, using a natural non-alkalized cocoa powder, adding more white vinegar or buttermilk to your red velvet recipe, to achieve a bright red color. A simple modification makes all the difference as to whether or not the color bakes out in the center leaving a red-orange, or maintains a bright red color throughout the entire cake.
SUGGESTED USE: 11-13 grams red velvet powder to 1lb. dry cake mix.
Lowering the heat and baking time when possible will contribute to overall color vibrancy, as overheating will cause some color deterioration.
Try our Red Velvet cake recipe from scratch.
RED VELVET CAKE MIX RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
½ cup butter (room temp)
1 ½ cup organic sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2-3 Tbsp ColorKitchen Red Velvet color (11-13 grams)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp vinegar
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and lightly dust with cocoa powder.
2. Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
3. In separate bowl mix dry ingredients: flour, red velvet powder color, cocoa powder, and salt.
4. Add vinegar to buttermilk.
5. Slowly add dry blend into butter mixture along with buttermilk/vinegar.
6. Divide batter evenly into 2 pans. Bake for 25-30 min. Cool on rack before frosting.
Our Red Velvet color can work well with other cake mixes containing baking powder, not soda. Simply add our Red Velvet color and 3 Tbsp of cocoa powder and blend with dry ingredients.
FROSTING & ICING
ColorKitchen Red Velvet color creates a wonderfully natural bright red. Use 1 packet Red Velvet color to 1 pint frosting.
If making frosting from scratch, blend color with dry ingredients before hydrating or mix color powder with a very small amount of water (approx ¼ tsp liquid to 1 ¼ tsp color) to make a paste.
RED VELVET ICING
3 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp Red Velvet Color (full packet)
For more shades view our Red Velvet icing recipe.