Cooking quandry...

I am going to a dinner party tomorrow where the theme is Red..so I thought a Red Velvet cake would be kewl!

I followed this recipe for red velvet cake and it doesn't look red it just looks like choco cake.... I did what it said about mixing cocoa with food coloring...

Is it because the red food dye is not as strong in color as it might be in the USA?

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 oz red food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoons vinegar
PREPARATION:
Cream shortening; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Make paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Add salt, flour and vanilla alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Sprinkle soda over vinegar; pour vinegar over batter.

Stir until thoroughly mixed. Bake in 3 8-inch pans or 2 9-inch pans for 30 minutes at 350°.

I tried another recipe and it has done the same thing. I got the red dye at the health food store and it is all natural dye. So I don't think it was/is strong enuf....

Could try a none cocoa version perhaps?

Maybe just put some red frosting on it and call it a day   I know red velvet cake (yum by the way) is meant to have white frosting, right?

It's the food colouring.  I've used the normal stuff here and it just doesn't have the punch as the US stuff.

Similarly, the cocoa powder seems a bit different, particularly if used in frosting.  It comes out a lighter colour than with US cocoa powder.

I am just glad you're not cooking laundry. 

LOL


It was the food coloring. I went and bought a supercook bottle of red dye and it worked a treat.

Bright red cake!!!!!!!!