Rainbow cake for kids
This spectacular rainbow cake is a guaranteed showstopper. It’s so colourful but easy enough to make from scratch – simply make a basic cake and add some food colouring. It’s so easy, it’s perfect for kids.
This colourful rainbow cake is perfect for kids birthdays or any spectacular celebration. It might look like a challenge to make but it’s surprisingly easy – all you need is a good set of food colouring.
I made this cake for one of my kid’s birthdays – all they wanted was a colourful rainbow cake decorated with sweets. If, like me, you have limited cake decorating skills this recipe is perfect. The rainbow layers look so impressive it doesn’t need a lot of fancy decoration on top.
How to you make a rainbow cake from scratch?
To make a rainbow cake, all you need to do is add some bright food colouring to your regular cake mix. We made a plain sponge using the all in one method where everything just gets mixed together in one bowl, so it couldn’t’ be easier.
What food colour should you use in a rainbow cake?
To make sure the rainbow cake comes out a lovely vibrant colour, you need to use good quality bake safe food colourings. I’ve tried the liquid food colours you find in supermarkets in the past and while they look great as you make the batter, they fade in the oven.
The best food colours to use are gels or pastes. I use either Wilton colours or Sugarflair pastes – you can find them on Amazon or your local craft store. While these sets might seem expensive the colours last a long time so they’re actually quite good value for money.
How many layers are in this rainbow cake?
I’ve given ingredients for a six layer rainbow cake but as we make 2 layers at a time it’s easy to reduce the quantities to make a smaller 4 layer rainbow cake. If you’re making fewer layers you will just need to adjust the colours you use.
How can kids help to make a rainbow cake?
This is such an easy recipe which means it’s great for kids who want to give a helping hand. Children can help measure and mix everything together to make the cake batter as well as adding in the rainbow colours.
Children might find decorating the cake a bit tricky but could probably help add some of the icing. One thing even young children could help with is adding some colourful sweets for decoration on top.
Do you have to make all the layers at the same time?
No. Unless you’ve got 6 cake tins and a large oven i’d recommend making a few layers at a time. I don’t think cakes turn out as well if the batter sits for a long time so I make mine in batches.
I’ve listed the ingredients for all the layers as well as for making two layers at a time.
What can I use instead of self raising flour?
If you don’t have self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and put in an extra teaspoon of baking powder.
Other colourful bakes
If you like this rainbow cake, you’ll love some of our other colourful bakes and celebration cakes:
Rainbow cupcakes
Funfetti cupcakes
Chocolate fudge cake
Strawberry cake
Boston cream pie
Sprinkles cookies
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these Funfetti cupcakes
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Cake tins
Serving plate
Wire rack
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Ingredients
For 2 layers of the cake
4 eggs, large
200g (1 ¼ cups) self raising flour*
200g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) butter
200g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Food colouring (gel or paste)
A splash of milk
For all 6 layers of the cake
12 eggs, large
600g (3 ¾ cups) self raising flour
600g (2 ¾ cups) butter
600g (3 cups) caster sugar
3 tsp baking powder
3 tsp vanilla extract
Food colouring (gel or paste)
A splash of milk
For the butterceam icing
400g (1 ¾ cups) butter, softened
800g (5 ½ cups) icing / confectioners sugar
120ml milk
Sweets for decorating (optional)
* If you don’t have any self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount as plain or all purpose flour and add an extra 1 tsp for every cup.
How to make a rainbow layered cake from scratch
Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C Fan / 350F and grease 2 x 20cm (8 inch) loose bottomed cake tins with butter and line the base with a circle of greaseproof / baking paper.
Mix the cake ingredients together
Get your kids to measure out all the ingredients and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
As the recipe uses the all in one method it doesn’t matter what order you add everything but we tend to follow the order below so we know we’ve not missed anything.
We typically start with eggs so we can weigh them first and then add the same amount of flour, butter and sugar.
Get your kids to crack the eggs into a small bowl, just in case any shell goes in. If it does, simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell. Weigh them, then add them to your mixing bowl.
Now, measure out the same amount of flour, sugar, and butter/margarine. Or just add 200g of each. Add them all to your mixing bowl.
Get your kids to measure the baking powder. Make sure they use their finger to level the tea spoon before they put it in so they get just the right amount.
Finally, add the vanilla. If you have young children you might need to hold the spoon while they pour in the vanilla or vice versa. Older children should manage this on their own.
Mix everything together using the k paddle of your free-standing mixer or a hand held mixer. Keep mixing it until it has just come together in a nice smooth batter. You might need to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything gets incorporated.
Don’t mix the cake batter for too long.
Colour the cake batter
Split the batter into two equal amounts in two separate bowls.
Add a splash of milk to two small bowls then add some food colouring to each. Start with a little bit of colour then keep adding it until you have the right hue.
Pour the food coloured milk to the two bowls of cake batter and stir them in with a clean spoon or spatula.
Bake the rainbow layered cake
Get your kids to pour the cake batter into your prepared cake tins. Level the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake the cakes in the oven for around 25 minutes. They’re ready when they have risen and a skewer or cocktail stick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing them from the tins and putting them on wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat these steps to make more layers.
Make the buttercream icing
Measure the icing sugar, butter and milk and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
Cover the bowl if you can and start on a slow speed so the icing sugar doesn’t fly everywhere. Once the icing sugar has started to mix in, turn the speed up and mix the icing for a least 5 minutes. The longer you leave it the softer and fluffier it will be.
Assemble the rainbow layer cake
Carefully trim the tops off any cakes with a bread knife that look at all uneven. Then put the first layer down on your cake stand or plate. Spread a little buttercream icing on top and spread it out with a palette knife.
Repeat the step, adding each layer until all the layers are stacked.
Add some more icing on top and around the sides of the cake. To have a neater finish, add a thin crumb coat at first, chill it then add the final coat of icing and smooth it down.
Add some colourful sweets to decorate. My kids enjoyed this job and made a rainbow with them on top and around the sides. Icing a cake can be a little tricky for kids so this is an easy and fun way of getting involved.
We also added some colourful meringue kisses on top, and a few Smarties on the inside.
Serve and enjoy.
Rainbow cake for kids
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Freestanding mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Cake tins
- Serving plate
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For 2 layers of the cake
- 4 eggs large
- 200 g (1 ¼ cups) self raising flour
- 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) butter
- 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Food colouring gel or paste
- A splash of milk
For all 6 layers of the cake
- 12 eggs large
- 600 g (3 ¾ cups) self raising flour
- 600 g (2 ¾ cups) butter
- 600 g (3 cups) caster sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- Food colouring gel or paste
- A splash of milk
For the butterceam icing
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups butter), softened
- 800 g (5 ½ cups) icing / confectioners sugar
- 120 ml milk
- Sweets for decorating optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C Fan / 350F and grease 2 (or 6 if you're making all the layers at the same time) x 20cm (8 inch) loose bottomed cake tins with butter and line the base with a circle of greaseproof / baking paper.
Mix the cake ingredients together
- Measure out all the ingredients and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
- We typically start with eggs so we can weigh them first and then add the same amount of flour, butter and sugar. So either crack them into a bowl on the scales, or pop them in your bowl and use the amounts listed in the ingredients.
- Mix everything together using the k paddle of your free-standing mixer or a hand held mixer. Keep mixing it until it has just come together in a nice smooth batter. You might need to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything gets incorporated.Don't mix the cake batter for too long.
Colour the cake batter
- Split the batter into two equal amounts in two separate bowls.
- Add a splash of milk to two small bowls then add some food colouring to each. Start with a little bit of colour then keep adding it until you have the right hue.
- Pour the food coloured milk to the two bowls of cake batter and stir them in with a clean spoon or spatula.
Bake the rainbow layered cake
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared cake tins. Level the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake the cakes in the oven for around 25 minutes. They're ready when they have risen and a skewer or cocktail stick inserted in the middle comes out clean.Remove the cakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing them from the tins and putting them on wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat these steps to make more layers.
Make the buttercream icing
- Measure the icing sugar, butter and milk and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
- Cover the bowl if you can and start on a slow speed so the icing sugar doesn't fly everywhere. Once the icing sugar has started to mix in, turn the speed up and mix the icing for a least 5 minutes.
Assemble the rainbow layer cake
- Carefully trim the tops off any cakes with a bread knife that look at all uneven. Then put the first layer down on your cake stand or plate. Spread a little buttercream icing on top and spread it out with a palette knife.Repeat the step, adding each layer until all the layers are stacked.
- Add some more icing on top and around the sides of the cake. To have a neater finish, add a thin crumb coat at first, chill it then add the final coat of icing and smooth it down.
- Add some colourful sweets to decorate. You could also add some colourful meringue kisses on top, and a few Smarties on the inside.
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