Dirt Velvet Cake

Made a cake tonight. A 'red' velvet cake. Originally designed to use as little cocoa powder as possible during the wartime ration era, TRUE red velvet cake is made with a smidgen of cocoa and a splash of red beet juice (where the colour comes from).

I didn't use beets. I don't like beets. In fact, I'll go so far as to say "Icky". I also didn't use food colouring (which is what most recipes call for). I didn't have any food colouring.

I don't know where it is. I don't know where it went. I am reasonably certain I've never used three ounces of red food colouring in my life, so clearly it should still be in my pantry (careful! I almost typed 'panty'- which is stupid place to store anything, let alone food colourings). But, it's gone.

So, I improvised. I took some of my red dusting sugar, mixed it in with some water, dissolved it, added the cocoa and used that. It's not 'red' so much as it is dirt brown. Oh well. So, I made "Dirt Velvet" cake.

Having finished the cake, iced it with a luscious cream cheese icing, I decided I'd make the 'red' come on the outside. So, I used the most awesome invention of all time. I got it at Michael's (my favourite place on Earth). It's food colouring spray. I got red, silver, and gold.

So, I fancied up my cake with some aerosol-y, chemical happiness. I love modern life.