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Would you colour food to make it look like the correct perceived color? Aka should red velvet cupcakes be red?

mellowyellowgirl

mellowyellowgirl

Ideal_Rock
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May 17, 2014
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I'm waiting for my cupcakes to cool before I frost them so I thought I'd ask.

I wanted to make the cupcakes without the food coloring but the boys protested. Hubs said it's not red velvet if it's not.....red.

Which got me thinking. It tastes exactly the same. Do we really need to eat two teaspoons of colouring?

It also really made me think as to whether all taro things should be purple and all pandan flavored things should be green.

My boys eat bun bo hue (Vietnamese spicy noodle soup) that's fake coloured with paprika because they are too wussy to eat a soup that's really "redded" by pure chilli. Paprika is harmless and tasteless in the soup though so no issues there.

Anyways after beating around the bush do you expect your red velvet to be red?
 
Oh man. Probably not BUT I’m sure the color would somehow change the taste in a psychosomatic way!
 
No to the food coloring. It tastes the same and is much healthier without it IMO. Why add it if it adds nothing to the taste? If you were entering it into a visual food contest OK but this is for your pleasure and consumption only so my vote is NO to the food coloring.


health.clevelandclinic.org

Is Red Dye 40 Safe?

A dietitian shares what we know about red dye 40, what foods typically contain the color additive and how to avoid it.
health.clevelandclinic.org health.clevelandclinic.org
 
Way to many allergy issues with food coloring for nothing gained.
I leave it out.
Many people are allergic to it but not even know it.
Reds are the worst.
I am mildly allergic to a couple of the reds and more so to red #5.
Red #5 thankful is getting rare as a lot of people have issues with it so its being used less.
 
mellowyellowgirl said:
I'm waiting for my cupcakes to cool before I frost them so I thought I'd ask.

I wanted to make the cupcakes without the food coloring but the boys protested. Hubs said it's not red velvet if it's not.....red.

Which got me thinking. It tastes exactly the same. Do we really need to eat two teaspoons of colouring?

It also really made me think as to whether all taro things should be purple and all pandan flavored things should be green.

My boys eat bun bo hue (Vietnamese spicy noodle soup) that's fake coloured with paprika because they are too wussy to eat a soup that's really "redded" by pure chilli. Paprika is harmless and tasteless in the soup though so no issues there.

Anyways after beating around the bush do you expect your red velvet to be red?
Click to expand...

what is your red food coloring made off ?
is it still - excuse spelling - cochaneil ?
 
I would not add red food coloring to it. I would just rename them velvet cupcakes, and if my kids balked I would just make chocolate and vanilla going forward. Now tell us about your frosting! =)2
 
@mellowyellowgirl here's a recipe for red velvet cupcakes that are red without the food dye...

anerdcooks.com

Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes (no food coloring!) – A Nerd Cooks

Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes are 100% food coloring-free! Their red hue comes from cooked beets. But don't worry - you can't taste the beets!
anerdcooks.com anerdcooks.com

red_velvet_cupcakes2-683x1024.jpg


Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Total Time
48 mins


Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cupcakes


Ingredients
For the cupcakes
  • 10 oz fresh red beets, peeled
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cupbuttermilk
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, see notes
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
For the cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar


Instructions
To make the cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
  2. Wrap the beets in parchment paper. Microwave on high until they are tender (about 8 to 10 minutes). Allow the beets to cool, still wrapped in the paper, until they are just warm to the touch.
  3. Coarsely chop the beets. Add them, along with the lemon juice, to a food processor. Process until they are finely chopped. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Add the oil and buttermilk and process until smooth. Add the eggs and process until completely combined.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the beet mixture, and whisk until just combined.
  6. Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter.
  7. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans on wire racks for about 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans to the racks, and allow them to cool completely.
To make the frosting
  1. Combine the softened cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until creamy and well-combined.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and kosher salt. Beat again until combined.
  3. Gradually add the powdered sugar on low speed until it is completely combined. Beat on medium-high speed for a few minutes to really whip things up.
  4. Frost the cooled cupcakes.
Recipe Notes
Notes: Do not use dark cocoa powder. It will really mask the red color that the beets impart.
 
I’m not into artificially colored food. I have an issue where it will taste like chemicals to me due to the bright color. I can’t eat red velvet cake for this reason.
 
Thanks guys!!!!!

I wasn't ready to commit to no color so opted for 1/4 the amount of food coloring which worked very well. Reddish enough to be velvet imo but not eerily red.

@OdetteOdile cream cheese frosting but the recipe (from joy of baking) uses cream cheese and fresh cream. Makes the frosting a lot lighter imo and not too sweet.
 
Red velvet (to me) shouldn’t taste like a chocolate cake, so the recipes I use have little cocoa so it doesn’t require tablespoons of food coloring sometimes asked for to overcome the brown.
It’s rare for me to reach for food dye on anything. And rarer for me to color the whole item, instead go for accents.
Thankfully no close family members/friends are allergic/intolerant, so I’m ok with very limited use.

Catsup? Very thankful I can turn a blind eye. No never purple or green.
 
I actually hate red velvet cake for this reason - it's just eating mouthfuls of food colouring!
I like your way of eating red soup using paprika instead of chili (though I'm sure I'd prefer the chili!).
 
My kids don’t like eating artificially colored food, probably because I was a strict mom when it came to eating eating blue frosting, purple candy etc when they were kids. I hated cleaning their hands and little faces that were dyed funky colors so I started banning colored sweets at parties etc. to this day, both kids prefer naturally flavored and colored foods. You could say they’re kinda vanilla. Haha
 
I discovered some time ago since I started to cook that mint choc chips icecream contains food colouring.

Also, the green in mushy peas is added and not natural.

Etc., etc...

Food colouring has been used for a long time, so I personally do not have any issue with it as long as it is proven to be harmless and declared on the label.

I went to a lecture on food science and enjoyment, and realised how much the look and sound of food could alter one's enjoyment, and not just the smell, taste and texture.

So, to answer the OP's question, yes, I would expect a red velvet cake to look red to me.

DK :))
 
I don't own any food coloring so whatever I make is 'as is.' Although, I'm not super opposed to food coloring (and I love red velvet), I won't go out of my way to color up food.
 
I'm with @VRBeauty ... Don't "get " them and have always avoided them because the colouring grosses me out.
 
You should use the red food coloring :) hope they were delicious
 
Yeah I've never really understood red velvet cake - no one could tell me what "flavour" it's actually meant to be... :confused: I'm more about the FLAVOUR of cake, usually the ugliest ones are the best!
 
GliderPoss said:
Yeah I've never really understood red velvet cake - no one could tell me what "flavour" it's actually meant to be... :confused: I'm more about the FLAVOUR of cake, usually the ugliest ones are the best!
Click to expand...

Yes!!! That was me! I was totally suspicious of it (weird red coloured thing and I normally hate cream cheese) until I had it at a buffet and loved it.

It's like a fairly light chocolate cake with cream cheese icing. The cake and the icing go really well. Not super chocolatey just a mild chocolate flavor.
 
I hate it when clients ask me for red velvet cake. I have to explain to them that it's just chocolate cake dyed red. But if they want it, I make it.....

IMG_20200503_112144.jpg
 
You are making me hungry......
 
i actually used some red food colouring the other day trying to make the palest pink icing the other day - i loosely dusted off the food coloring from the top shelf off the pantry
- i used too much and it went crimson so i wasn't overly impressed

at my old work it was like working in a tin shed- they would give use ice blocks (popsicles) on hot days and it was always a rush to get to the red ones ! i think because we are wanted the hypo !
 
I’m all for red velvet without the food coloring. I don’t really understand the point of the fake color.
 
soxfan said:
I hate it when clients ask me for red velvet cake. I have to explain to them that it's just chocolate cake dyed red. But if they want it, I make it.....

IMG_20200503_112144.jpg
Click to expand...

Soxfan - I love how you so casually refer to “your clients.” You’ve come a long way, baby!
 
VRBeauty said:
Soxfan - I love how you so casually refer to “your clients.” You’ve come a long way, baby!
Click to expand...

OMG, right? I'm trying to convince my husband to put on an addition to the house because I am so busy!
 
Making a red velvet cake sans red coloring soon. I’ll be sure to take pictures of the cake color it turns out to be :)
 
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