![Lemon Bundt Cake](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/05/17/dining/ya-lemon-bundt-cake/ya-lemon-bundt-cake-mediumThreeByTwo440-v2.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Rainbow Cake
Updated Feb. 29, 2024
![Rainbow Cake](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/05/30/dining/ejm-rainbow-cake-sliced/ejm-rainbow-cake-sliced-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus 1½ hours’ chilling
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3⅔cups/465 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 1teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8large egg whites, at room temperature (reserve the egg yolks for the frosting)
- 1¼cups/300 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature
- 2½cups/505 grams granulated sugar
- ¾cup/180 milliliters vegetable oil
- ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2cups/480 milliliters whole milk
- 1½cups/300 grams granulated sugar
- ¼cup/30 grams cornstarch
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 8large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 8sticks/905 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple food coloring paste or gel (See Tip 1)
For the Cake
For the Frosting
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, then add a couple tablespoons of flour to each pan. Shake and rotate each pan until the flour fully coats the inside. Discard the excess flour.
- Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk the 3⅔ cups flour with the baking powder and salt to combine. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg whites vigorously until lightly foamy, about 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk to combine.
- Step 3
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar, oil and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Reduce the speed to low. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Step 4
Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until combined. Add a third of the egg white mixture and mix until combined. Continue to add the dry and wet ingredients, alternating until both are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Step 5
Divide the batter evenly among the three cake pans. (You’ll want about 2⅓ cups/575 to 600 grams of batter in each pan.) Spread the batter in each pan into an even layer. Bake until the surface is evenly golden brown, the cake appears to have pulled away from the pan at the top edges and the center of the cake springs back gently when touched, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Step 6
While the cakes bake, make the frosting: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk with ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar with the cornstarch and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
- Step 7
Pour about 1 cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Add the yolk mixture to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 8
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium heat-safe bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap or a wet paper towel and refrigerate until no longer warm, about 1 hour. If making the piped version, make a separate half-batch of the custard now (see Tip 2).
- Step 9
When the cakes are baked, cool them in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Step 10
When the custard has cooled, finish the frosting: Transfer the custard to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. With the mixer running and a splash guard attached or a kitchen towel draped over your mixer to contain splashes, add the butter about 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until the butter is combined between each addition, about 20 seconds.
- Step 11
Increase the speed to medium-high. The mixture may look uneven and lumpy, but keep whipping until it becomes silky smooth and lightens in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. (If making the piped version, finish the extra half batch of frosting now. Combine batches before dividing, coloring and frosting.)
- Step 12
Use a serrated knife to slice each cake horizontally into two even rounds to form six cake layers: Place the first cake on a cake decorating turntable or flat plate. Use the knife to cut into the cake by holding the knife horizontally with the sharp side facing the cake, halfway up the side of the cake. Lightly cut into the cake by slicing into the outer perimeter of the cake all the way around, rotating the turntable or plate as you score it. Once you’ve created a marker around the outside of the cake as a visual guideline, continue rotating and moving the knife deeper into the cake to divide the cake into two even layers. Repeat with the other two cakes.
- Step 13
Evenly divide the frosting into six bowls (you should have about 1¼ cups each). Use food coloring gel or paste to color the frosting red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Start with a few drops and add more as needed. Mix thoroughly.
- Step 14
Working with one cake round on the cake decorating turntable or flat plate, use a pastry brush to brush away any extra crumbs that have collected before frosting. Scrape about ⅓ cup red frosting on top of the cake layer, in the center, and use a medium offset spatula to spread it into an even layer, spreading it all the way to the edge of the cake. Wipe the spatula clean. Top with another layer of cake, bottom-side up, then scrape about ⅓ cup orange frosting on top of the cake layer, in the center, and spread into an even layer. Continue this process, spreading three more cake layers with ⅓ cup of the yellow, green and blue frostings and wiping the spatula clean after each application. Top with the final cake layer, bottom-side up. (You’ll use the purple frosting later.)
- Step 15
Run a clean offset spatula around the sides of the cake to flatten the edge and smooth out excess frosting between layers that has leaked out on the sides. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to help the frosting set.
- Step 16
Starting at the bottom of the cake, use a small offset spatula to apply a 1-inch thick stripe of red frosting. Wipe the spatula clean and repeat this process just above the red frosting with the orange frosting. Repeat, wiping the spatula clean between each application, with the yellow frosting, green and blue. The blue should be at the top edge of the cake and around the outer edge of the top surface of the cake. Cover the remaining top of the cake with the purple frosting. (If making the piped version, refer to Tip 3.)
- Step 17
Hold a clean spatula horizontally flush against the top surface of the cake and slowly rotate the cake to smooth the surface. Clean the spatula and do the same to the sides of the cake, holding the spatula vertically. The colors will blend together to create an ombré effect. Add extra frosting to fix smudges and smooth the surface again. If desired, chill another 15 minutes before serving (this will make it easier to slice).
- Tip 1: For the most vibrant colors, use concentrated food coloring paste or gel, available online or at baking supply and craft stores. You can use supermarket liquid food coloring, but you’ll end up with pastel colors. Also, be mindful of adding too much liquid food coloring; doing so can water down your frosting.
- Tip 2: The custard for the frosting can be made up to 2 days ahead and held in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Tip 3: For the piped version: Complete the recipe through Step 16. While the cake chills, add star tips to six disposable pastry bags with the ends cut off. Different sizes and shapes are O.K., or you can use the same tip and clean it in between each application. Scoop the remaining frostings into each of the prepared pastry bags. Using the red frosting, apply a row of stars all the way around the base of the cake. Repeat this process just above the red frosting with the orange frosting. Keep the piped shapes consistent or alternate between stars and rosettes for an interesting pattern. Repeat, using the yellow frosting, green and blue. The blue should appear around the top edge of the cake, and you can also apply about a row of blue frosting around the outer edge of the top surface of the cake. Cover the top of the cake with the purple frosting. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
I learned years ago to use a doubled up length of thread, long enough to go around the cake and 6-8 inches more, to cut cake into layers. You wrap the doubled thread around the middle of the cake and cross the left over thread ends over each other. Then gently pull the ends and the thread will slice through the cake. I’ve always found this easier and more accurate than using a knife.
This cake is beautiful, as are the people it represents.
I disagree. Baking is for everyone, of all skill levels. Best for the author of any recipe to overexplain rather than underexplaining.
Dental floss. (Be sure it’s not flavored!)
The Pride cake is gorgeous. Not sure I'll have the guts to make it! One thing you should know-the Pride flag is red on top. This cake is a lovely rainbow, but not a Pride rainbow.
To keep the cake flat, wrap a wet paper towel in tin foil, then wrap that whole thing around the cake pan before baking. It totally works, no more cake dome!
Thanks for sharing Aliza. Yeah most rainbow cakes call for coloring the individual layers of cake batter, but here, the frosting is tinted, creating an impressive rainbow inside each slice. I guess it's a great way to celebrate both fictional and non-fictional historical events!
I will delight my daughter with this spectacular cake on her birthday party, but no way am I going to be handling 9 sticks of butter and... doing real baking for it. Sara Lee mix and boxed icing it'll be, putting to use my 15-shade food coloring set ;) Thanks for the visual inspiration, though.
To get a uniform flat bake, wrap the wet paper towels around the pan https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MNuAMoMgq70
1 stick of butter goes in the cake, the other 8 go in the buttercream---and yep, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 8 egg yolks really will require 8 sticks (2 pounds) of butter! It's a cooked French buttercream. It's a mild pain to make, but it is incredible. Good luck!
My wife suggest going one better and using dental floss. After all, every time you visit a dentist you get another roll of cake cutters! ;-)
It is sad when people do not want to really cook and decide to take a short cut - Don't, for one minute, think it will be the same . . .
You can use 8 sticks of butter in buttercream frosting. I’ve used more for some larger cakes I’ve made. That’s what the frosting recipe is calling for. Those delicious butter cream frosted cakes at weddings,.. I’m sure you have been to a wedding and enjoyed the cake. That’s mostly butter in the frosting. Why don’t you look up buttercream frosting if you are uncomfortable with the thought of using 8 sticks of butter. You’ll see that it’s no surprise how much butter one uses.
I made this today to celebrate Pride Month. It was stunning. The cake itself was very tender and delicious, but the icing was too...buttery! Didn’t think I’d ever complain of a cake being “too buttery,” but I would have preferred a stronger flavor of vanilla in the icing as the cake itself tasted very much of butter. And it took much longer than 2 hours! Still, the ombré decor and striped layers were so gorgeous that I would make it again. With tweaks.
Do it your way, Kameo! Grab the inspiration and go. That's what this page is about, I'm sure your daughter will love it.
This recipe could use some more particulars about the icing. I freaked out because it looked like my butter had curdled, but turns out it was just a temperature differential. I used Wilton gel colouring and had a lot of trouble getting the saturation of the colors in the photo. I was wondering if our baker used Chef master coloring, which I will try going forward. The icing ended up tasting pretty much like butter only so I actually added some icing sugar. Delicious cake!
I made this cake and was so very excited about the potential outcome. I made the icing 2 days in advance as I didn’t have time to do it all in one day. When it was time to put it all together I added the gel coloring to the icing it curdled. What did I do wrong? It tastes delicious, but the texture is terrible. I wish I could add a photo to my review :( I guess I will just use rainbow sprinkles….
Made for 5 y/o bday party, one mom told me I'd made her daughter's dream cake. Turned out beautifully (thanks for the video!!!), if not as perfect as the picture. Took all day! I agree with those who find the icing too buttery tasting. For reference I temped the layers out with thermapen with goal 200-209 F which for the 2 cakes on the top level of oven was 25 min, the cake on lower level was pale so I baked for 30 min and it was up to 219 but still did not taste overbaked.
In step 7 the written instruction says to cook on low heat until it thickens, but in the video she explains that the mixture must come to a boil, even shows you the size of the bubbles to look for, and explains that if it doesn’t boil the enzymes in the egg will eat the corn starch and the mixture will thin while cooling. Because I failed to watch the video first, I had to repeat this step. The written instructions need correcting. The cake was delicious but the icing just tasted like butter.
I’m wondering if anybody tried this with cream cheese frosting?
Ate a bag of potato chips as I was adding the butter to the buttercream, just to secure my place in hell. 3/4 of the buttercream was sufficient for a 9" 6-layer cake.
I made this cake for my daughter and grandson who share a birthday, and it came out great. It is beautiful, I will say the taste is okay, not sure it merits all the work it takes. Also, the gel food coloring was a revelation. And she is correct, (not sure I trusted) the colors do deepen in vibrancy over time. However, I had about 1/3 of each color of frosting leftover which I used for cupcakes for my grandsons' friends party a few days later.
Okay, so my buttercream split when mixing in the colors. But when using the leftover frosting, I discovered that whisking it on high for a couple of minutes makes it creamy again! So don't fret (like me).
When I mixed in the colors, the buttercream split. Might this be because of the quality of the colors or because I made the frosting the night before and kept it in the fridge?
Question: I only have one springform tin. Can I bake two cakes consecutively and then cut them in three layers? Or will that not work?
This is a fantastic recipe! In both taste and looks. Please follow the recipe as written (and watch the youtube video--very helpful and entertaining) with the exception that the custard must come to a full boil with large center bubbles. Wish the recipe would be corrected! Also, when dividing the icing into the 6 bowls, one bowl does not need as much, maybe half as much (the purple layer on top). Whereas the other 5 colors could have used a little more for in between the layers. Thanks.
I made this cake last weekend to celebrate a 31st and 61st birthday. Tasted wonderful and looked fabulous. I did end up with way too much icing however and ended up throwing so much of it out. If I make this recipe again, I would try to make 1/2 to 3/4 of the icing. Thanks for a beautiful cake.
Buttercream should never have that much butter to make that amount. Here’s my recipe: 1 stick of butter 3 cups of powdered sugar 1 teaspoons of vanilla extract Whip that in a stand mixer.
Huge hit for kid bday party. Adults impressed when you cut in! This French buttercream is delicious and has more flavor than Swiss or Italian buttercream/meringue. Cake was moist - used olive oil even though it’s not a neutral oil - because it’s really good for you and tastes delicious. As per tip- made the custard a day ahead since it took me at least 1 hour to mix in the food coloring and applying layers/decorating. I don’t decorate cakes often so assume it will take others more time too.
This labor-intensive cake is worth the effort and time! The beauty of the inside justifies the painstaking effort at symmetry and precision. I feared, when I tasted the heavily-dye-saturated frostings I had made, that the chemical taste of the gel dyes would overwhelm the buttercream. But lo and behold the dye taste vanished overnight and the frosting was delicious as was the cake. Many blue and purple smiles to be seen!
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