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Perfect Rainbow Birthday Cake Recipe with Moist Fluffy Layers

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A vibrant and moist rainbow birthday cake with fluffy layers that are easy to make and perfect for celebrations. This recipe uses simple pantry staples and gel food coloring to create a colorful, crowd-pleasing dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed slightly
  • Gel food coloring in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream (or dairy-free alternative)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • Pinch of salt (for frosting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease six 8-inch cake pans and dust with flour; line bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
  3. Beat softened butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients in three parts alternating with warmed milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
  6. Divide batter evenly into six bowls. Add gel food coloring to each to create red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple batters. Stir gently.
  7. Pour each colored batter into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, rotating pans halfway through.
  8. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Remove parchment and cool completely.
  9. For frosting, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and salt; beat on high until fluffy.
  10. Assemble cake by stacking layers from purple to red, spreading frosting between each. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Chill for 30 minutes to set.
  11. Level domed layers with a serrated knife before stacking if needed.

Notes

Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning batter. Temper eggs to room temperature to avoid curdling. Fold flour gently to keep cake fluffy. Weigh batter portions (~170g each) for even layers. Chill cake briefly between frosting coats to prevent sliding. Can bake layers in batches if fewer pans are available.

Nutrition

Keywords: rainbow cake, birthday cake, colorful cake, moist cake, fluffy cake, easy cake recipe, celebration cake, layered cake

Find it online: https://lirafood.com/perfect-rainbow-birthday-cake-recipe-with-moist-fluffy-layers-easy-step-by-step-guide/