Red Velvet... continued...

So...

Pomegranate juice, reduced, didn't work. I got the basic recipe off the internet (after some researching I realized that most recipes were the same, they went something like this):

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (some use cake)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. to 2 tbsp. cocoa powder (some like more, some less i guess)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (some use butter instead)
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ounces red food coloring. Red #40

What I did was reduce some pomegranate juice until it was slightly thick and concentrated and substituted that for the coloring. I had several issues with this cake.

First and foremost, the color. I think I knew off the bat that it just wouldn't do. While I was reducing the juice, I noticed that pomegranate juice isn't such a bright red (at least not the kind I got... I'm not talking about POM, which, who knows, might work better). It had a brownish tinge to it. But I proceeded regardless. The cake was nowhere near the shade of red. It was a tan-brown color and the texture... the texture was awful. It was slightly gummy and crumbly. It went straight in the garbage. I don't know if it was the recipe I used, or the addition of the pomegranate juice (which is slightly acidic) or maybe a combination of the two... but it was a disaster.

But that's alright. I'll keep trying. After all, it was only my first attempt/test.



Anyway, here's a little bit of info on Artificial red food coloring:


There's 2 different shades of red approved by the FDA: E129 (red shade) and E127 (pink shade).

Allura Red AC (E129) is a deep dark red and was introduced in the U.S. as a replacement for Amaranth, which was banned in 1976 for being a potential carcinogen.
Red AC is derived from coal tar and the red coloring in it is derived from the FEMALE (haha) Dactylopius coccus, a South and Central American beetle.

Here are a couple of pics of this beetle. The second one with the little red bubble/ball... that's a drop of blood.






Health Affects
Increased levels of hyperactivity, A.D.D. and lower IQ in children.
As to whether or not it is carcinogenic, studies are inconclusive (in my book, that means better to avoid it).
If you have an aspirin intolerance or an allergy it may cause a skin rash and nausea. In some people, even those without an allergy, it can cause difficulty breathing and even shock.

Allura Red is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria. In the U.S. it is approved for use in cosmetics, drugs and food.




So there you go, that's it for now... I'll keep experimenting, you keep posted. :)