I had big plans for red cupcakes. I looked up lots of recipes for red velvet cupcakes and the ones I saw either used lots and lots of red food coloring (2 squeeze containers!) or, prepare yourselves, beet juice. The beet juice recipes promised that there would be no trace of beet flavor in the cupcakes, just that gorgeous beet color. Willing to take a risk on beets, and unwilling to pour that much food coloring into my baking (we all have limits after all), I got out my blender and whipped up some beet puree. Once the cocoa was added though, that gorgeous beet color disappeared and was replaced by chocolately brown. Not a bad color. And it did have a red hue to it. But it was not the race-car red I was hoping for.
So, this Valentine's Day we are settling for {not} red velvet cupcakes. I have not tasted one yet, but I'm feeling a little dubious. I mean, the recipes promised the beet color without the beet flavor, but I'm thinking they might have gotten it backwards.
I'll let you know.
p.s. Mama V, three of these are heading your way! Hope you like beets!
8 comments:
You KNOW we love beets around here!
They look scrumptious and beautiful!
Lucky us!
Gorgeous! (even if they aren't red.)
I didn't realize red velvet cake had that much food coloring!
These look incredible!
Robyn, I have known several different people who've made chocolate cakes that had beets in the recipes--not because they were trying to dye the cake but just for flavor. And all of them were delicious. So, I think even if your cupcakes taste beet-ey, you're in the clear.
Firefly, I am thrilled to report that you are right!!! These are fantastic!!! And I can't really taste a pronounced "beet" flavor, but they have a really deep intense "yum" flavor. We're talking deep and intense. ;)
wish you could have one...
For what it's worth, I think the color of those cupcakes (in the picture) looks beautiful -- way more appealing than artificial red.
Normally, I think cupcakes are gross, but I am craving one of those puppies.
Beautiful- aren't beets wonderful? Have you tried my pink pancakes yet? They are so easy to make, so yummy, and they are BRIGHT pink! The beets make them really sweet w/o adding sugar.
Robyn,
I love your blog and I want a cupcake!
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