google map api v3 background color
You can just set backgroundColor: 'none'
var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
zoom: 11,
center: {lat: 41.876, lng: -87.624},
backgroundColor: 'none'
});
although you removed everything there still be blank tiles present.
You may try to hide those tiles, the following CSS works for me:
/*the desired background for the map*/
#map_canvas{background-color:#fff !important}
/*hides the tiles (and maybe more^^)*/
#map_canvas div div div div div div img{visibility:hidden}