You can make black food coloring in different ways. You can use food colors, dark cocoa powder, squid ink, and food-grade dry active charcoal.
If you want to make a unique cake, cookies, or some other recipes with black color the easiest way is to buy black food coloring from the store. However, if you can’t find black food coloring at the store you can make it at home with some of these ingredients, which we suggest you use in this article.
Black-colored cakes and cookies decorated with golden or silver details look more elegant and sophisticated than the cookies and cakes with boring regular colors.
In today’s article, I will share suggestions and tips on how to make black food coloring at home, and be satisfied with the final result.
Because deep dark black color is hard to make if you don’t use the right and quality ingredients, with the right proportions.
1. Food colors
Food colors are usually found in different forms like powders, pastes, gels, and liquids. To make black food coloring it is best to use food colors in gel, paste, or powder form.
Food colors in liquid form can alter the texture of the frosting, icing, buttercream, or fondant you are making. It is best to use gel food colors to make black food coloring.
It is more concentrated and you will need smaller quantities to achieve the desired black color. Another important thing you should know is that you will need more food colors to make black food coloring if the frosting, icing, buttercream, or fondant are with light color.
To make black food coloring you will need red, blue, and green food colors in gel form (you can also use food colors in paste or powder form) and a small bowl.
- Add the same amount of each color in the bowl and mix them. If the mixture has green color add a drop of red color, if it has red color add a drop of blue color. But if the mixture has purple color add a drop of green color.
- Mix until you get the desired black color. Test the color by spreading some on a clean, white plate.
- When you are satisfied with the final results let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Gel food colors become darker over time. Keep in mind that the brand of the food colors also affects the quality of the color you will get.
- Mix the black color into your recipes such as cakes, cookies, biscuits, ice cream, icing, frosting, buttercream, or fondant. Make sure to add enough black food coloring to the recipe to get the desired black color.
2. Dark cocoa powder
Dark cocoa powder is also known as a Dutch-processed cocoa powder has a less acidic, milder flavor, and darker color than the regular cocoa powder.
You can use it in different recipes such as cookies, cakes, and other baked goods to give them a beautiful dark color and chocolate flavor.
Dark cocoa powder contains less fat than regular cocoa powder. Therefore, if you are using it in baked goods you will have to add a tablespoon of sour cream, butter, yogurt, or some other fat to prevent them from becoming dry.
This powder is usually used in baked goods that call for baking powder because it is neutral and doesn’t work with the baking soda to make the baked goods rise.
To make a black food coloring with dark cocoa powder, mix one part of the cocoa with three parts of hot water (the liquid content should be the same as in your recipe). Add the mixture to the recipe and mix until you get an even and smooth texture with black color.
3. Squid ink
Squid ink is the ink that the squid releases when it is in danger. It has a savory flavor and black color and is used in cosmetics, medicines, painting, writing, and as a cooking ingredient.
Squid ink as a cooking ingredient is added to pasta, soup, rice, bread, sauces, crackers, waffles, and ice cream. Just a few drops of squid ink will give a salty flavor and black color to your recipe.
Therefore, it is best to use squid ink in savory dishes and reduce the regular salt added to the recipe. If you are allergic to seafood, it is better to use some other food coloring than squid ink.
4. Food-grade dry active charcoal
Food grade dry active charcoal is natural black food coloring and a good alternative if you are allergic to food colors.
It is made of carbonized coconut or bamboo shells. It is usually used to make black cakes, cookies, ice cream, pancakes, bread, waffles, frostings, buttercream, icings, etc.
Food grade dry active charcoal will give a smoky, earthy flavor to your recipe and beautiful black color.
Just mix 2 teaspoons of dry active charcoal in powder form and one tablespoon hot water. Add a few drops to your recipe and mix.
If you are not satisfied with the color add more until you get the desired black color.
How To Make Black Food Coloring Without Food Coloring?
There are a few ways you can make black food coloring without food coloring.
You can make black food coloring with dark cocoa powder, squid ink, or food-grade dry active charcoal.
You can also use squid ink to make black food coloring for savory dishes because it has a savory flavor. Dark cocoa powder and food-grade dry active charcoal, on the other hand, work better in sweet dishes.
How Do You Make Black Food Coloring Without Black?
You can easily make black food coloring without black if you have some blue, green, and red food coloring. In a small bowl add the same amounts of these colors and mix them.
If the mixture has green color add a drop of the red color and mix.If the mixture has red color add a drop of blue color and mix. But if the mixture has purple color add a drop of green color.
Mix well and let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Gel food colors become darker over time. The black food coloring is ready to use in your favorite recipes.
How Do You Make Black Icing?
It is a little tricky to make black icing. Instead of black, you can get icing with dark grey color. To make black icing you can use dark cocoa powder, food-grade dry active charcoal, or red, green, and blue food colors.
If you are using dark cocoa powder to make black icing mix 1 part of dark cocoa with 3 parts of hot water in a bowl. Add the mixture to the icing and stir until you get a smooth and even texture with black color.
You can also make black icing if you mix the same amounts of red, green, and blue food colors in a bowl. Spread some color on a white plate and if you are satisfied with the color let it sit for about 10 minutes. Add the color to the icing and mix to get an even texture. Your icing is ready to use.
Food-grade active charcoal will also give a beautiful black color to your icing with just a few drops. Mix two teaspoons of charcoal with one tablespoon of hot water. Mix well and add a few drops into the icing to get a black-colored icing. Add more if needed.
The easiest way to make black icing includes black gel food coloring. If the icing has a dark color, you will need less black coloring. However, if you like vanilla icing you will need more black coloring to get the desired black color.
Final Tips
Black food coloring is a good way to try something new and different. You can combine black-colored recipes with white, gold, silver, or any other color you like to make it more colorful.
Use some of the ingredients mentioned in this article to make black food coloring. And we will be happy to read that you made a black food coloring with the desired color in the comments down below!