❤️ Ruby – Natural Food Color by The Sugar Art

Infuse your creations with the rich brilliance of Ruby, a deep, luminous red inspired by the beauty of natural gemstones and freshly bloomed petals. This natural food color delivers striking vibrance — from a soft rose tint to a bold crimson depth — bringing warmth, passion, and elegance to your palette.

Formulated from pure botanical pigments, Ruby is part of The Sugar Art’s Natural Gel Color Collection, a professional-grade line of plant-based colors designed for today’s bakers and decorators. With decades of experience in food color science and artistry, we’ve created a natural shade that performs as beautifully as it looks — powerful, refined, and completely natural.

What is a natural red food coloring without Red 40?

Natural red is built from plant pigments rather than synthetic dye. Ruby is our deep red, made from beet. For a truer red, many decorators blend Dahlia, which is beet and paprika, with Wild Rose, which is purple sweet potato. Natural reds shift with pH, light and concentration, so build the color gradually.

Why did my natural red turn pink or burgundy?

Natural red shifts with pH, light and pigment concentration. Acid pulls it toward pink, and light and time pull it toward burgundy. Natural color is also five to seven times weaker than synthetic dye, so build it gradually rather than expecting depth from a small amount. Cover finished work and keep it out of direct light.

What is red food coloring made of?

It depends entirely on which bottle you pick up. A conventional red food coloring is built from synthetic dye, most often Red 40, which is part of why it reads so strongly at a small dose. Ruby is built the other way. The pigment comes from beet, and the full ingredient list is printed on the jar along with a lot number and an expiration date, so you can see exactly what you are working with.

Both approaches have genuine strengths. Synthetic reds are potent, economical, and hold their tone well. A plant-based red asks a little more of you in technique, and gives you a color that comes from food.

Can I use a natural red food coloring for red velvet?

You can, and it is worth setting expectations before you start. Red velvet traditionally leans on a heavy dose of synthetic red to carry over the cocoa in the batter. Working from beet, you are layering a plant pigment over a brown base, so plan for a deeper, warmer red rather than the bright tone you may be picturing.

Add the color in stages and mix fully between each addition. Then give it time. Color continues to develop after mixing, anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours depending on the shade and how much you used, so stop a shade or two lighter than your target and judge it once it has rested.

Looking for an alternative to a conventional red?

Ruby is the deep end of our natural reds. If you want a brighter, softer red, Dahlia is the shade to reach for. Both are plant-based, both are made here in the United States, and both are labeled with everything that is in them.

✨ Why You’ll Love It

• Made from plant-based pigments — zero artificial dyes or additives.

• Builds from light rose to rich ruby red with layering.

• Water-based for seamless use in royal icing, buttercream, and fondant.

• Vegan, FDA compliant, and made without gluten-containing ingredients.

• Complements other natural hues like Wild Rose, Dahlia Red, and Harvest Orange for a vibrant, balanced palette.

Size: 1 oz bottle

* For products that arrive damaged or become lost / stolen in transit, you must file your claim with Route (we continue to strongly recommend keeping them on every single purchase) or the carrier directly (USPS or UPS), as advised in our Terms of Service.

Before purchasing our Natural Food Colors - please review (or click for full tutorial HERE):

These are colors uniquely formulated to tint icings (royal, buttercream, etc). All natural colors are sensitive to light, heat and PH - at different levels. Once you open your natural colors and begin using them, please store them in refrigeration for best results and stability.

We strongly recommend keeping expectations minimal, when attempting to bake these colors. Tones WILL SHIFT or FADE in heat, light and highly acidic mediums (keep this in mind with your recipes).

We recommend immediately covering your confections (cakes and cookies) once the designs are complete. Do not attempt to leave them in natural or UV light for an extended period of time as this may result in color fading.

Please be advised: We are unable to guarantee consistent performance in all recipes, mediums and circumstances. All sales are final on all products we produce, that will not change with our new Natural Colors.

* We are unable to offer refunds or replacements under any circumstances.

When purchasing our new Natural Colors, you are taking a chance that they will work for your medium and process. We have done our best to demonstrate their performance in royal icing and buttercream, but all other mediums need to be tested independently and at your own discretion. It is our recommendation, before using these colors on orders, to TEST THEM THOROUGHLY.

These are natural botanicals, made with living plant extracts, it is important to ensure that the bottle is properly sealed after every use and the open container stored in a temperature controlled environment - preferably in refrigeration. This will help in longevity and prevent oxidation of the pigments.

All policies around natural colors are now included under Terms of Service - which you can find HERE. By purchasing these natural colors, you are understanding all sales are final and testing will be dependent on your own processes.

INGREDIENTS: Beet, Glycerin, Water