If it helps, I use all of these brands for all jobs…. colour sponges, colour buttercream, colouring ganache. It can be difficult sometimes to get the colour you want, but that comes with practice! Generally with buttercream for example, a colour will develop over time, so don’t be worried! Please Note: Customised or personalised items are excluded from the regulations and cannot be returned. Due to food safety concerns, ready-made cakes are not subject to return unless considered faulty or not fit for purpose.

I tend to gravitate more towards oil-based colours as they tend to incorporate better into any bake, but you will see below what I mean. I have given a selection of options which vary in price points, but generally – food colours are worth the investment. All brands below require so little for a strong colour result that they are worth it!You can enjoy red velvet cakes anytime of year, but I do think they lend themselves particularly well to Halloween with their bright red centres. This Halloween Red Velvet Drip Cake is made with three gloriously scarlet sponges, filled with red fruit jam, covered in sweet vanilla buttercream and dripping in a blood red white chocolate ganache for that spooky factor! It would make a great centrepiece for a Halloween party, try displaying it with a plastic knife stabbed in the centre! Or if it's not the time of year to scare your guests then omit the ganache and serve a pretty red velvet cake instead! Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information Powdered food coloring is less commonly used but is another wonderful way to get a bright red frosting. It’s harder to find online, and while it does make the frosting taste better, there still is a tiny bit of aftertaste.

For an extra gory effect, 'stab' the cake with a plastic knife and drizzle some of the blood red ganache over the blade!

More drip cake recipes…

I’ve also tried out beetroot powder, which doesn’t give as vibrant of a color, but is a great alternative to gel food coloring. Surprisingly it doesn’t really change the taste of the frosting! Vanilla: You can really taste the difference that using a high quality vanilla extract, like Nielsen Massey, makes. Supermarket versions just don’t cut it! Flour: You need regular plain/all purpose flour for this, don’t use self raising as it has raising agents in it which we don’t want in a brownie.