Aside from using high-quality food dye, the best way to achieve a nice color on your red velvet pancakes is to cook them slowly. Preheat a good quality nonstick skillet and once it’s hot, lower the heat to medium-low or low. For red velvet, it’s better to have low, so as the red doesn’t get burned before the inside is cooked through. Grease with a bit of butter if necessary, and wipe away any excess.