In preparation for baking our first King Cake, we went on a neighborhood-wide search for yellow, purple and green colored sugars. We were only able to find red, green and blue, venturing from store to store in vain. After discussing the merits of dyeing the frosting, thus incorporating the traditional Mardi Gras colors into the cake, we stumbled upon a trick so easy, it’s hard to believe I haven’t come across it before!
In a small glass jar with a lid, I mixed 1/2 cup white granulated sugar with 2-3 drops of food coloring. After some vigorous shaking, the sugar was transformed. It was amazing! I would recommend shaking immediately after the dye has been added (and the lid has been secured). The longer the liquid sits on the sugar crystals without movement, the more it starts to stick to a few, reducing the overall distribution.
The next time you find yourself without the proper colorful sugars – especially around a holiday – give this a try. To get a coarser texture, you can opt for a different kind of sugar. Sugar in the Raw, for example, was the base for our purple, creating a deeper, richer shade.
Until next time,
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