Rainbow Layer Cake
Sure to be eye-catching, this colorful rainbow layer cake is a great centerpiece for any table, for any kind of fun celebration or party.
Servings: 20
Equipment
- 3 Cake Pans 8-Inch
- Stand Mixer with Paddle and Whisk Attachments
- Spatula Offset
- Pastry Bag Optional
- Cake Stand Optional
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
- 2 Cups milk at room temperature
- 12 egg whites at room temperature
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 1/2 Cups cake flour
- 3 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder plus 2 Teaspoons
- 2 Teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 Cups butter softened
- Gel food coloring 6 tubes - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
For the Frosting:
- 2 Cups unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 Cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 8 Cups powdered sugar
- Rainbow sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease three 8 inch cake pans with cooking spray and place some parchment in the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk 1 cup of the milk with 6 egg whites and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Set aside for now.
- In the bowl to your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together 2 and 1/4 cups of the flour, 1 and 3/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Stir on low speed and start to add 3/4 cups of softened butter approximately 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue stirring until the butter is about the size of a pea.
- Add half of the egg white mixture and beat on medium speed until the batter is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining egg white mixture and beat on medium until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly in thirds and place each third in its own mixing bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of purple food coloring to one of the bowls and mix it in. Add 1/2 teaspoon of blue food coloring to the second bowl and mix it in. Add 1/2 teaspoon of green food coloring to the final bowl and mix it in.
- Transfer each bowl of batter to its own prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the three pans so that they bake evenly.
- When they are done baking, an inserted toothpick or skewer should come out clean and the cake will bounce back when pressed slightly. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before flipping it out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Wash up your mixing bowl and repeat steps 3 to 8 with the remaining ingredients using red, yellow and orange food coloring.
- Once the cakes are cooled, it is time to start the frosting. In the bowl to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of butter until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Start the mixer on low and increase the speed slowly as the powdered sugar is incorporated.
- Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream. Beat until smooth.
- Transfer the frosting to a mixing bowl and repeat the process (steps 10-12) with the remaining ingredients. You require approximately 10 cups of frosting and unless you are a commercial bakery, you probably don’t have a bowl big enough for your stand mixer to make the entire batch at once.
- Now it is time to assemble the cake. You want the cake to be level so if you need to, use a sharp knife to trim the top so that it is even.
- Place a dollop of frosting on your serving platter or cake stand. Secure the purple cake on the stand. Evenly spread frosting over the top of the cake approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Top with the blue cake and frost the top evenly. Continue stacking and frosting each layer with the green, yellow, orange and red, in that order.
- Frost the entire outside and top of the cake. If you have any frosting left over, transfer to a piping bag and have some fun with decorations on top.
Notes
Keep it upright: Although it's a tall type of cake, it should be sturdy. If it seems wobbly you can use straws to help it stay upright.
Freezing and thawing: If you are thawing the cake layers, it's easier to add the frosting and stack the cake layers while still frozen, as they might become more delicate when thawed out.
Use colors carefully: Don't add more than a few drops of food coloring at a time for the best results. Remember you can always add more but not less!
Freezing and thawing: If you are thawing the cake layers, it's easier to add the frosting and stack the cake layers while still frozen, as they might become more delicate when thawed out.
Use colors carefully: Don't add more than a few drops of food coloring at a time for the best results. Remember you can always add more but not less!
Nutrition
Calories: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 85g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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