If stored properly, food coloring can last for years without any issues. However, if you observe any changes in appearance, such as slight variations in color or if it has dried up, it is recommended to discard it.
How To Make Purple Food Coloring? | Completed Instruction
Creating your own food coloring can be a fun and rewarding experience. With the right ingredients and simple instructions, anyone can get creative in the kitchen by making their own custom hues of purple. In this blog post, we explore how to make purple food coloring quickly and easily with natural ingredients that you likely already have on hand – no dyes required. You’ll soon be creating beautiful works of edible art in purples ranging from lavender to blueberry for all kinds of dishes. So read on if you want to learn more about this unique way to add a touch of vibrancy to your meals.
- 1 Overview Of Different Types Of Food Coloring
- 2 How To Make Purple Food Coloring?
- 2.1 Liquid Food Coloring
- 2.2 Liquid Gel Dye
- 2.3 Gel Paste Dye
- 2.4 Natural Food Coloring
- 2.5 Using Red Cabbage As Natural Dye
- 2.6 Using Blueberries As Natural Dyes
- 2.7 Using Purple Cabbage As Natural Dyes
- 4.1 How do you make purple food coloring without food coloring?
- 4.2 How do you dye frosting purple without food coloring?
- 4.3 What can I use instead of purple food coloring?
- 4.4 Does food coloring go bad?
Overview Of Different Types Of Food Coloring
When it comes to food coloring, there are two main types: natural and synthetic. Natural food coloring is made from ingredients found in nature such as fruits, vegetables, and spices. Synthetic food coloring, on the other hand, is made from chemicals and additives. While both options can add color to your dishes, there are some notable differences between them.
Natural Food Coloring
ContentsNatural food coloring offers a healthier alternative to synthetic food coloring. It is free from artificial additives and preservatives, making it better for your health. Additionally, natural coloring often has a more subtle shade and may not be as vibrant as synthetic options. However, with a little creativity and experimentation, you can achieve beautiful shades that are sure to impress.
Synthetic Food Coloring
Synthetic food coloring is the most commonly used type of food coloring. It offers a wide range of vibrant colors and is typically less expensive than natural options. However, it may contain artificial additives and preservatives that can be harmful to your health. Due to this, some people prefer to avoid using synthetic food coloring in their dishes.
How To Make Purple Food Coloring?
Liquid Food Coloring
To make purple food coloring using liquid ingredients, you will need the following:
- Red and blue food coloring
- Water
- Small mixing bowl or cup
- Start by adding 2 drops of red food coloring to your mixing bowl or cup.
- Next, add 1 drop of blue food coloring.
- Stir well until the color is evenly mixed.
- If the color is not dark enough, add 1 more drop of blue food coloring and mix again.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Liquid Gel Dye
Liquid gel dye is a concentrated form of food coloring that creates vibrant and intense colors. To make purple food coloring using liquid gel dye, you will need:
- Red and blue liquid gel dye
- White frosting or icing
- Begin by adding a small amount of red liquid gel dye to your white frosting or icing.
- Mix well until the color is evenly distributed.
- Next, add a small amount of blue liquid gel dye and mix again.
- Continue adding equal amounts of red and blue liquid gel dye until you achieve your desired shade of purple.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Gel Paste Dye
Gel paste dye is a highly concentrated form of food coloring, making it perfect for creating deep and rich colors. To make purple food coloring using gel paste dye, you will need:
- Red and blue gel paste dye
- White frosting or icing
- Begin by adding a small amount of red gel paste dye to your white frosting or icing.
- Mix well until the color is evenly distributed.
- Next, add a small amount of blue gel paste dye and mix again.
- Continue adding equal amounts of red and blue gel paste dye until you achieve your desired shade of purple.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Natural Food Coloring
To make natural purple food coloring, you will need:
- Red and blue fruits or vegetables (such as beets, berries, or red cabbage)
- Water
- Start by selecting your desired ingredient for creating the base color. For example, if using beets, chop them into small pieces.
- In a pot, add your chosen ingredient with enough water to cover it.
- Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Strain out any solids and allow the colored liquid to cool.
- Combine equal parts of the red liquid with blue liquid until you achieve your desired shade of purple.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Using Red Cabbage As Natural Dye
If using red cabbage as your natural dye, you will need:
- Red cabbage
- Water
- Baking soda (optional)
- Chop the red cabbage into small pieces.
- In a pot, add enough water to cover the cabbage and bring it to a boil.
- Let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the water turns purple.
- If you want a more vibrant purple color, you can add a small amount of baking soda to the mixture.
- Strain out the solid pieces and allow the liquid to cool.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Using Blueberries As Natural Dyes
To use blueberries as a natural dye, you will need:
- Fresh or frozen blueberries
- Water
- In a pot, add your desired amount of blueberries with enough water to cover them.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Mash the blueberries in the pot to release more color.
- Let the mixture simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Strain out any solids and allow the liquid to cool.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Using Purple Cabbage As Natural Dyes
To use purple cabbage as a natural dye, you will need:
- Purple cabbage
- Water
- Chop the purple cabbage into small pieces.
- In a pot, add enough water to cover the cabbage and bring it to a boil.
- Let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the water turns blue.
- Strain out the solid pieces and allow the liquid to cool.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.
Food Coloring Chart Success
Both a food coloring chart and an artist’s color wheel offer guidance that comes in handy when blending colors to tint a recipe. Red and blue combine to make purple, but the exact amounts of each color needed will vary depending upon both the food coloring brand and the size and type of ingredients in your recipe. For instance, the amount of purple needed to tint a layer cake is not the same amount needed to make soda water purple.
If you’re tinting a beverage, use as little food coloring as possible to avoid dyeing guest’s lips and tongues purple. The goal for a liquid is a translucent or see-through purple, rather than purple that’s so dark it looks black. Food coloring used in a cake batter or icing generally won’t cause the dye-transfer issue.
Perfectly Purple Frosting
Create a custom purple shade for cake frosting by mixing red and blue food coloring into white frosting. White is required because it is free from other colors; you can’t get purple with a chocolate brown frosting, for instance.
Start with 1 cup of frosting, adjusting the ratios upward depending upon your project. A typical two- or three-layer, 9-inch-round cake requires about 5 cups of frosting. One 16-ounce container of store-bought frosting contains 2 cups. When it comes to drops of food coloring, 100 drops is approximately 1 teaspoon.
Create the color of a deep grape taffy with 80 drops blue, 180 drops red mixed into 1 cup white frosting. To make it a darker, more royal shade of purple, stir in more blue, about 10 drops at a time. To intensify the depth of the purple, continue adding in 10 more drops of blue and red, stirring and adding more until the desired shade is reached.
Make a purple shade about halfway between lavender and deep purple by mixing 25 drops blue and 35 drops red into 1 cup white frosting. For a shade quite similar to real dried lavender petals, mix 5 drops blue and 5 drops red into the cup of frosting.
Note: These ratios are estimates, not exact, as the brand of food coloring used will affect the final color. Some colors may be more intense than the same shades created by another company. If you’re working with cake or cookie batter, stir in fewer drops of dye at first, keeping the red-to-blue ratios similar to achieve the desired purple tint.
Working With Gel Colors
Gel-based food coloring tends to be more intense than liquid food coloring, so it requires far less of both red and blue to achieve purple in your recipe. In some cases, the gel colors are four times as intense as their liquid counterparts. Start making purple by mixing just a few drops each of of red and blue into your recipe. Add more, as needed, to achieve the desired purple intensity.
Blueberries don’t create a natural blue food coloring, but they do create a natural purple coloring agent. Add 1/4 cup washed fresh (or thawed) blueberries with 2 teaspoons water to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth, then pour it through a strainer into a container with an airtight lid. Discard the strained skins.
Mix the homemade purple dye into your recipe 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired shade is reached. Store unused portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
2 Ways To Make Purple Food Coloring
There are two ways to make your own food coloring at home, and both of them are fairly easy to do.
Your first option is to mix together some red and blue food coloring, and the second option is to make your very own purple food coloring from scratch.
If you already have red and blue food coloring at home, the first option may be easiest for you to achieve.
If you have blueberries at home, however, you can easily make your very own homemade coloring within less than an hour.
Here is how you can make purple food coloring at home.
Using Red And Blue Food Coloring
The easiest way to make your own purple food coloring at home is to mix together some red and blue food coloring.
When combined, red and blue make purple. However, it won’t be as simple as adding equal amounts of each color into a bowl and giving it a stir.
Depending on the shade that you are aiming for, you will need to adjust the amount of each color that you will be using.
For a standard shade of violet – not too dark, not too light – we recommend using a ratio of 3/16; 3 parts blue, 16 parts red.
Red coloring is typically a lot lighter than blue coloring, so if you add too much blue, you will end up with a dark blue hue.
If you want the purple to be lighter and more vibrant, add a little more red. If you want it to be darker, add more blue. Adjust the color to fit your vision.
Using Blueberries (Or Other Purple Fruit/Veg)
If you want to make your very own homemade purple food coloring, you can make some at home with only a handful of ingredients.
We recommend using blueberries, although you could also use elderberries or purple cabbage.
If you’re using blueberries, you will need to blend them up, or run them through a food processor. Add a little water into the mix, and blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
This method also works when using elderberries. If you want to use purple cabbage, though, you will need to boil it until the water becomes purple.
Once you have the liquid from either method, store it in an airtight container, allow it to cool, and then store it in a cool area for up to 6 weeks. You can now use this liquid as a purple food coloring.
How To Achieve The Perfect Shade Of Purple In Food Coloring
It is one thing knowing how to make purple food coloring, but it is another thing trying to create the exact shade that you are aiming for.
Every color has hundreds of different shades. For example, if someone says that green is their favorite color, you may find yourself wondering if they prefer a vibrant lime hue, or a subtle shade of teal.
The same goes for purple. There are so many shades to choose from, including lighter shades like lilac and periwinkle, and darker shades like indigo and plum.
Below, we have listed how to create lighter shades of purple, darker shades of purple, and even a typical, run-of-the-mill shade of purple.
Creating A Typical Shade Of Purple
Our recommended method for making a ‘normal’ shade of purple, while using store bought coloring, is to use a ratio of 16:3 of red and blue coloring.
If you add more blue food coloring into this mixture, the overall color will immediately darken, and you will need to add more red to build the shade of purple back up.
As we mentioned earlier, blue is a very strong color, and will immediately overpower the red coloring.
Creating A Light Shade Of Purple
Creating a light purple food coloring can be quite difficult to do, since this would require you adding a white food coloring into the mix.
You can purchase white gel coloring, but you would have to use a lot of it to significantly lighten the color.
If you are using a natural, homemade purple food coloring, you could try diluting the product with more water.
Ultimately, your best bet would be to use a tiny amount of purple food coloring when cooking with a light colored batter.
You could also try using a pink food coloring instead of red, as this will make the purple appear more vibrant.
Creating A Deep Shade Of Purple
To create a deeper shade of purple using store bought food coloring, you will need to add a couple more drops of blue coloring into your mixture.
As we mentioned earlier, you will want to be very careful not to add too much blue, as this will overwhelm the mixture, and turn it into a dark shade of blue.
The amount of blue that you use will still need to be significantly less than the amount of red that you use.
We recommend adding just three more drops of blue, making a 13:3 ratio of red and blue.
These three additional drops of blue will make all the difference, creating a darker shade of blue, or an indigo.
Final Thoughts
As long as you have red and blue food coloring, water, blueberries, and/or purple cabbage at home, you can easily create your very own homemade purple food coloring.
Just be wary that you should always add more drops of red food coloring than blue if you are going to be using store bought food coloring to create purple.
Blue is a lot darker than red; therefore, you will need to use it sparingly.
