Rainbow Layer Cake
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Posted: 02/24/24
Updated: 02/26/24
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This naked cake has layers of cake colored with different colors and homemade frosting in between make this Rainbow Layer Cake so pretty and delicious. It’s a fun dessert for spring, St. Patrick’s day or just because!
What’s better than a rainbow layer cake? A rainbow layer cake that is made with love in the comfort of your own kitchen! This super easy recipe is a blast to follow and always makes the most adorable colorful sweet treat. It’s a great birthday cake, but can also be used for St. Patricks Day or springtime! No one will turn down cake with homemade frosting and a beautiful array of rainbow colors.
Serve a slice of cake with a big scoop of rainbow ice cream and you’ve got the perfect color blast dessert. This bakery-quality creation isn’t hard to make at all and is great for kids to help create. If you’ve been afraid to make a layer cake, then start with this easy recipe. It’s a great starting point and will teach you the basics!
Why You’ll Love this Rainbow Layer Cake
- This is a fabulous recipe for beginners. It’s really simple to follow and doesn’t require much technical skill.
- Making layer cakes can be difficult if you don’t know how to frost evenly. But the best part about this easy rainbow cake is that you don’t have to frost the outside! This takes out the most difficult step.
- Homemade cake is more affordable than many bakery and store-bought options. It’s a great way to get more bang for your buck!
Ingredients for easy Rainbow Cake
- Flour – I recommend using a high quality all-purpose flour for best results.
- Sugar – For this recipe you will need both granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Sweeten the cake with granulated sugar and make icing with the powdered sugar.
- Baking Powder – Baking powder acts as a rising agent to make the layers of cake fluffy.
- Eggs – Egg whites are my secret ingredient to make a cake moist and fluffy.
- Salt – To keep the batter from being bitter, I recommend using kosher salt.
- Sprinkles – Grab your favorite rainbow sprinkles to use on top of this fun and exciting cake.
- Butter – Allow the butter to soften before using it in this recipe for rainbow layered cake.
- Food Coloring – I personally recommend using gel food coloring in the cake layers. However, you can also use liquid food coloring if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract adds a little “something extra” to this easy homemade cake recipe.
- Milk – I like to use whole milk, but 2% or anything else you have on hand will also work.
- Powdered Sugar – This will be the base of the homemade frosting and acts as a way to thicken the frosting well.
Helpful Tools
How to Make this Rainbow Layer Cake
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then prep round cake pans with cooking spray and sprinkling with a thin layer of flour, then set them to the side.
Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Then add vanilla extract and egg whites. Beat again until smooth.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and milk to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
Separate the cake batter into 5 bowls and add one of the five colors to each. The amount of food coloring used will vary depending on which color you’re using. Stir the food coloring well until mixed in evenly.
Pour the colored rainbow cake batter into each individually prepared pan.
Bake each layer of cake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
When they’re done baking, allow the rainbow cake layers to cool for 15 minutes before flipping out of the cake pans onto cooling racks. If needed, use a butter knife to release the edges. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
While the cake cools, make the frosting! Cream butter and powdered sugar together in a mixing bowl and then add milk and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
Once the frosting is done and cake is cool, you can assemble the layers. Place the blue layer onto a serving plate and cover it with frosting. Then continue this pattern with the green layer, yellow, orange and red.
Add sprinkles to the top, slice, and serve!
How to Store this Easy Rainbow Cake
Place leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover rainbow layer cake! Just wrap it in cling wrap or foil, or transfer to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I use store-bought frosting instead of homemade?
Store bought frosting can absolutely be used in place of the homemade frosting! It’s a great time saver. However, if you have the time I recommend making the homemade frosting for this rainbow layer cake recipe. It’s really easy and takes the flavor to the next level of delicious!
Can I frost the outside of my rainbow layer cake?
If you want to make the cake a surprise when you cut into it, feel free to frost the outside instead of keeping the edges bare. You’ll want to trim around the edges to make it even and you’ll need to make extra frosting. But you can absolutely do it if you want!
Pro Tips for the Best Easy Rainbow Cake
- If the homemade frosting is too thick, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- For a super fun twist on decoration, add different colors of fresh fruit to the top of your cake. Slices of strawberries, fresh blueberries, and even thinly sliced kiwi would be tasty.
- If you don’t have five cake pans, you can bake the cakes in batches.
I hope you find a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow cake! That’d just be the icing on the cake, wouldn’t it?
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
- This Pineapple Cake is a favorite for summertime. Great for cookouts and parties!
- Strawberry Lemon Cake has the most refreshing and bright flavor. We love how light and airy it is!
- Need an easy shareable treat? These Carrot Cake Bars are a fabulous option.
- Everyone needs a go-to Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe and this one is just perfect.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Rainbow Layered Cake
Easy Rainbow Naked Cake has layers of rainbow colored cake with a homemade frosting in between each layer.
Ingredients
CAKE INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 large egg whites
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- Red, orange, yellow, green, and blue food coloring
FROSTING INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- Sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare five 8-inch round baking pans by coating them with cooking spray and a thin layer of flour and set aside. If you don’t have five pans you can bake the cakes in batches.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and egg whites. Beat again until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. Beat again until batter is smooth.
- Separate batter into 5 separate bowls. Add one of the five food coloring colors to each bowl. The amount you add will depend on the type of food coloring you are using. Stir well until colors are even.
- Pour each color into a prepared 8 inch round baking pan.
- Cook each colored layer for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- When done baking, allow them to cool for 15 minutes before flipping them out of the pans. You may need to use a knife to release the edges. Allow them to cool completely before frosting them.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar together.
- Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla. Beat well. If it is too thick, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Place the blue layer of cake on your serving plate. Cover it with a layer of frosting. You will need to spread five layers of frosting, so be sure to continue this with the green, yellow, orange, and red layers.
- Add sprinkles of your choice to the top.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 624kcal (31%), Carbohydrates: 99g (33%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 24g (37%), Saturated Fat: 15g (94%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 63mg (21%), Sodium: 415mg (18%), Potassium: 233mg (7%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 74g (82%), Vitamin A: 732IU (15%), Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 98mg (10%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
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