A Guide to Food Coloring Types and How to Use Them on Your Christmas Cake!

Food colorings typically come out in full force during the holiday season, which means your Christmas cake is virtually incomplete without them. The wide variety of them available in the market today means you can create colorful icings and make your Christmas cake as vibrant and eye-catching as you want.

The struggle to find the ideal food coloring for your Christmas cake is a real one, and it’s important for you to achieve the correct balance without impacting the taste and texture of your cake.

Here is a short guide to food coloring types and how to use them on your Christmas cake!

Types of food colorings

Liquid dye: This is an inexpensive option and is typically used for lighter tints. You may require a few of these to reach a stronger shade if you’re making cakes, and they’re made out of synthetic dye.

Liquid gel dye: This is thicker than traditional liquid dye, and is extremely concentrated in nature. It’s best to create vibrant colors but can be difficult to spread out due to its thick texture.

Natural food colorings: These are void of any glycerin or corn syrup content and are derived from a number of different plants. They’re the ideal option for anyone with specific allergies to synthetic dyes.

Powered dye: These contain best for recipes that do best without liquid content. They’re typically used sparingly and can be gently dusted onto foods for extra color.

Always start small

When it comes to food colorings, it’s usually a good idea to start small and build the color up slowly and gradually. This is because it’s easier to darken the color than to lighten it in case of a disaster!

When baking your Christmas cake, it’s also important to keep in mind that food colorings get darker with time, and one mustn’t keep adding more to richen the color of the cake.

A good idea would be to let it rest for 10-15 minutes before adding more.

Natural light is important

It’s always best to use food coloring and get a clearer picture of the color you’re seeking to create under natural lighting.

This is because artificial lighting tends to give off a dim, yellowish light shade that can deter the vibrance of food coloring.

Check out our baking ingredients store in Orange Country now! We offer the best quality food colorings at affordable rates, along with a range of wholesale sweets and chocolate.

For more, call now at 818-887-1338!