Food Coloring from Cabbage
This homemade food coloring is prepared from red cabbage. Because red cabbage pigment is pH-sensitive, it starts out purple but turns pink when combined with acid and blue when combined with alkaline substances.
- Time
- 20–30 minutes plus cooling
- Yield
- 1 cup (280 g)
Ingredients
- 1 small red cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup (150 g) white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice, plus extra for pink color
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (for blue color)
Method
- Blend cabbage and water in a food processor.
- Using a cheesecloth, strain the puree into a bowl to extract the juice.
- Pour the juice into a pan and add sugar.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, and stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Skim off and discard any foam that collects at the surface of the liquid.
- Turn the heat to high and boil until the liquid reduces to a single-thread consistency.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
- If you want to color the mixture pink, stir in additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. If you want to color it blue, stir in the baking soda.
- Cool slightly, then pour into an airtight jar.
Notes
- The food coloring can be stored in refrigerator for up to three months.
- To use in frostings, add the food coloring, ¼ teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition.