Hello,

yet another red velvet question?

So I'm happy with my recipe and the taste etc... it could be a bit moister... maybe I'm overcooking or maybe I need to add a bit more oil.

Anyway my question is no matter what I do it still is not coming out as red as I'd like it. No matter which bakery I go to their's is always this beautiful deep red. Soooo I was wondering instead of using the liquid red food coloring can I use the gel red color? If so it would be less than normally used with the liquid right? do you think it will give a deeper color?

Also... I've searched online and found some recipes with beet juice in. And I'm wondering if anyone has used beets and if so did it taste good? Also how deep was the red color?

S.

Check Martha Stewart's recipe for red velvet cake. I think she uses the gel paste instead of the liquid.

Theresa

I would like to know too.

Cakeman Raven's is BRIGHT red with half the coloring and it is very moist. It does need a little more cocoa powder than called for in the recipe.

I have made cake man raven's cake and my red doesn't come out very bright?!?!?

I mean the inside is bright for sure, but I've seen him bake his cake on tv and even his edges are red! mine always come out brownish! how is it that bakeries can cookie red cupcakes and they stay red in the liners not brown.

off to check martha stewart's recipe...

S.

sarascakecreations, mine was BRIGHT red to the edge. I tweaked his recipe, but only lessened the oil, halved the red, and upped the cocoa powder. I don't know why it was so red. I bake my cakes until just barely done. Maybe that kept it red to the edge. I have other red velvet recipes and they aren't as bright with the same amount of red coloring.

oh wow and halving the red and upping the cocoa powder worked? i would think it wouldn't be as bright.... and that adding more cocoa powder would make it darker but iguess not.

At work we use gel food color and just add until we get the shade we want. I really dont see the appeal of red velvet cake. Its just a lighter chocolate cake with tons of bad for you dye. Not my cup of tea.

I've been seeing some red velvet cakes being made with beets. Wonder how that turns out?

I love red velvet cake! the taste, the color, everything about it

as for the beets I've also seen some recipes online but haven't had the time to try them out so I can't help you there

sarascakecreations, just google his recipe and watch the tweaks. I used regular red food coloring because the liquid obviously works or his cake would not be all over the internet. Maybe my lessening of the oil lessened the dilution of the red. The cocoa powder is only a few tablespoons. I was very happy with the cake and there was none left. Just taste the batter as you go and do what tastes right to you. This is a very moist cake if it is not overcooked.

Thanks so much, and your right his recipe does taste wonderful... I eat the cake scraps lol whenever I make it. I will try your suggestions, thanks again!

1 more thing and I guess it's not reallyyyy red velvet related but the cake I am baking has a rather large base, and it's my 1st time baking in this pan. It's a 16x16 square pan... so I need to use something to get heat in the center... I don't have any heating core thingy but I've read I can use a flower nail.... so is 1 enough for a cake that size... or should I do more than 1?

Sara

I'd use 3-4 flower nails and bake even strips for a pan that large.

You could use airbrush food coloring, that tends to be a little stronger. I use that and it comes out so red I decrease the amount because it just seems like too much. I wrote a couple of articles on my blog about red velvet and substituted other colors for it, and they all came out pretty true to color also. I thought it was kind of gross, actually.