A Rainbow Cake is a fun, colorful, and vibrant dessert that’s perfect for celebrations! It features layers of brightly colored cake with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting. Here’s how to make this beautiful cake.
Rainbow Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 3 ¾ cups (450g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) whole milk
- Gel food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 cups (720g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Cake Batter:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line the bottoms of six 8-inch round cake pans (or bake in batches if you don’t have six pans).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
2. Color the Batter:
- Divide the batter evenly into six bowls (about 1 cup of batter per bowl).
- Use gel food coloring to color each portion of the batter: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Mix each color until the batter is evenly tinted.
3. Bake the Cake Layers:
- Pour each colored batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake the cake layers for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Prepare the Vanilla Buttercream:
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined.
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more cream; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
5. Assemble the Rainbow Cake:
- Place the purple layer on your serving plate and spread a thin layer of buttercream on top.
- Repeat the process with the blue, green, yellow, orange, and red layers, adding a layer of buttercream between each.
- Once all the layers are stacked, apply a thin crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting) over the entire cake to seal in any crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- After chilling, frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
Optional Decorations:
- You can leave the cake simple with a white buttercream finish, or get creative with sprinkles, rainbow-colored piping, or a drip of white chocolate ganache for an extra special look.
6. Serve:
- Slice into the cake to reveal the vibrant rainbow layers! Serve with a smile and enjoy.
This Rainbow Cake is sure to be the highlight of any party or celebration. The bright, colorful layers will bring joy to everyone, and it tastes as good as it looks!