Natural Rainbow Cake with Organic Vegetable Dye

August 9, 2013** Lucinda Standard

For Fiona’s 4th Birthday, a few years ago, we had a Mad Hatter tea party, and I felt a rainbow cake was just what the birthday girl needed. I am not of fan of fake dyes. They are made of funk, it has been argued that they are carcinogenic, and above all else, have been proven to make children act a little crazy (The crazy train is leaving the station, and for my own sanity, I would prefer my child not be on it). So, I decided to make a rainbow cake without artificial dyes, and here is how it all went down:

Attempt 1: Used whole wheat flour for the cake which made the colors dull. Didn’t account for how much liquid the dyes would add, and ended up with something that tasted like bread pudding and the colors looked like a rainbow of different puke colors.

Attempt 2: Used cake flour and butter, reduced liquid but not enough. Ended up with a very dense cake and weird coloring most likely because of the fantastic yellow butter.

Attempt 3: A few hours before party was set to begin, I used an organic cake mix. Want to make something of it? No, I didn’t think so. I used coconut oil as the fat, and added almond extract to hide the taste of my homemade dyes. I left out all other liquid.

Separate the batter into as many different bowls as colors you want to use.