Recipe Of The Day: Rainbow Layer Cake

It's Pride month, which means it's time for the LGBTQ+ community to live their truth out loud and proud. Of course, it also means it's the month for all rainbow everything, including your desserts. Make this beautiful rainbow layer cake that is perfect to bring to any party in June. On the outside, this cake is all plain Jane, but once you cut into it, it reveals a super bright surprise. This recipe may seem intimidating at first, but the actual technique for dyeing the layers couldn't be simpler.

Easy Cooking and Baking Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions Everyone Should Know

If you're not comfortable with making your cakes from scratch, don't sweat it because this recipe calls for you to use boxed cake mix. Preheat your oven and spray your cake pans with a non-stick baking spray. In a large bowl, blend your cake mix, eggs, water, oil and vanilla, and then divide the batter evenly into six bowls.

The next is where the magic happens. The key to dyeing your cake all the colors of the rainbow is to work in small batches. Generally, this is one of our favorite baking tips and tricks. Divide the cake batter into six bowls and add a few drops of one color of food coloring into each bowl. Add red coloring in one bowl, yellow in another and so on. If you don't have ALL the colors, remember your color wheel! Red and blue make purple, of course. Then add the batter into your cake pans, bake for 14 to 16 minutes and allow the cakes to cool completely. .

While your cakes cool down, prepare your buttercream by blending together butter, heavy cream, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar. Now it's time for the fun part — assembling. Start with one cake layer on a cardboard round and spread your frosting on top. Then add another cake layer and repeat until you have all of your cakes assembled. Cover the sides of the cake with more frosting and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Add the remaining frosting to the cake and now your cake is ready to serve. Cut a slice of the cake to show off those clean colorful layers of your Pride-themed dessert.

This cake is already gorgeous on its own but feel free to make it even more fabulous by adding edible flowers, fresh fruits, sprinkles or more rainbow-themed decor on top. Or substitute your buttercream frosting for cream cheese or swiss meringue frosting. If you plan on bringing this cake to a 21 and over party, maybe you can try boozing up this recipe just like these delicious alcohol-infused desserts.

Rainbow Layer Cake

This recipe is courtesy of Ready Set Eat, Conagra.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• No-stick baking spray

• 2 packages of white boxed cake mix

• 1 1/2 cup water

• 6 eggs

• 2/3 cups vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple gel food coloring

For the buttercream:

• 3 cups unsalted butter, softened

• 1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream

• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 bag (32 ounces each) confectioners' sugar

For assembly:

• Cooked, cooled cake layers

Directions:

For the cake:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray.

Step 2: In a large bowl, blend 2 packages of cake mix, 1 ½ cups water, 6 eggs, ⅔ cups oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Step 3: Divide batter evenly into 6 bowls, about 1 1/2 cups each. Add 1/2 teaspoon red gel to one bowl, 1/4 teaspoon yellow to another and 1/4 teaspoon orange to a third bowl of batter. Stir each until blended. Pour each into separate pans.

Step 4: Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

Step 5: Meanwhile, add 1/2 teaspoon blue gel to one of the remaining bowls of batter, 1/2 teaspoon green gel to another and 1/2 teaspoon purple gel to the final bowl. Stir until blended. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Step 6: Wash, dry and spray cake pans with baking spray. Pour each remaining color into separate pans and bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

For the buttercream:

Step 1: In a large bowl, beat 3 cups butter, ¼ cup heavy cream, 4 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon salt with an electric mixer on low speed until blended, about 1 minute.

Step 2: Slowly beat in 1 bag of powdered sugar until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

For assembly:

Step 1: On a cardboard round, place the purple cake layer. Spread with about 1/2 cup frosting.

Step 2: Top with the blue cake layer and press lightly to adhere. Repeat with green, yellow, orange and red cake layers.

Step 3: Spread a light coating of frosting all over the sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Frost with remaining frosting. Transfer cake to a serving plate. Slice and serve.

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