Rainbow Cake
User Reviews
4.6
Rainbow Cake
Description
This Rainbow Cake recipe produces distinct colored layers by dividing a vanilla cake batter and tinting each portion with different food colorings—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The batter combines all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla, yielding a smooth mixture that bakes into moist layers. Baking each layer in individual pans ensures even cooking and vibrant color retention. Using parchment paper at the bottom prevents sticking and promotes smooth layer removal.
The buttercream frosting is a classic American-style icing made by creaming softened unsalted butter and gradually adding confectioners’ sugar, cream, salt, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. This frosting layers the cake and can also be piped for decoration. The recipe emphasizes proper measurements, such as weighing flour to avoid density, and advises cooling layers fully for easier handling. The resulting cake offers a visually striking multi-colored presentation with soft, rich texture and creamy frosting.
Careful leveling of layers by trimming domes can increase stability and uniformity when stacking. Chilling the cake before decorating helps the buttercream adhere and set well. Avoiding over-mixing prevents tough texture. This cake is suitable for festive occasions or as a colorful dessert centerpiece.
Ingredients
For the Rainbow Cake Layers:
- 5 cups all-purpose flour (600g)
- 3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 egg room temperature, large
- 1½ cups vegetable oil (360ml)
- 1½ cups milk 360ml, whole
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Food Coloring (red, yellow, blue, green)
For the Buttercream:
- 2½ cups butter softened (565g, unsalted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 cups confectioners’ sugar (1200g)
- ½ cup cream room temperature (120ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Rainbow Cake Layers:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two or three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray or butter. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk until combined.
- Divide the batter among 6 mixing bowls. Color each batter with food coloring to make red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple batters. Pour a single color batter into each cake pan. Place the remaining batter bowls in the fridge until ready to bake. (This helps to stop the baking powder from reacting while waiting to bake.)
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack. Wash the pans, grease and line with parchment paper again, and bake the remaining batters.
For the Buttercream:
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until very fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar a cup at a time, adding a tablespoon of cream at a time throughout mixing. Stop and scrape down the bowl occasionally during mixing. Once all of the sugar is added, beat in the vanilla and add additional cream if the frosting feels grainy when rubbed between your fingers. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
For the Assembly:
- Remove the parchment paper from the cake layers. Place the purple layer on a cake plate and spread ½ cup of frosting over the top. Place the blue layer on top and spread another ½ cup of frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining cake layers in the order of green, yellow, orange, and red. Spread the remaining frosting all over the outside of the cake. Chill the cake for at least 1 hour before serving. Leftover cake should be covered and can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale to measure flour for accuracy and avoid a dense cake.
- Trim domed cake layers with a serrated knife for even stacking or use cake strips during baking.
- Allow cake layers to cool completely before applying buttercream to prevent melting.
- Keep butter at room temperature before creaming to ensure smooth frosting without lumps.
- Chill the cake after frosting for better layer adherence and cleaner slicing.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter to prevent a tough or dense texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1440 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1440kcal | 72% |
| Carbohydrates | 192g | 64% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 73g | 112% |
| Saturated Fat | 32g | 160% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 18g | 106% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 198mg | 66% |
| Sodium | 497mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 158mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 150g | 300% |
| Vitamin A | 1496IU | 30% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 136mg | 14% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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