Steamed Rainbow Layer Cake Recipes

RAINBOW LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among 6 small bowls, about 1 1/3 cups each.
• Using food colors, tint batter in 1 bowl blue, 1 bowl red, 1 bowl green, 1 bowl yellow, 1 bowl orange (using red and yellow) and 1 bowl purple (using blue and red).
• Refrigerate 3 colors of batter until ready to bake. Pour remaining 3 colors of batter into cake pans.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center and begins to pull away from side of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks; cool completely.
• Wash cake pans. Bake and cool remaining 3 cake layers as directed.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light yellow. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until frosting is smooth. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
• Trim rounded tops off cakes to level, if needed. On serving plate, place purple cake layer. Spread with frosting to within 1/4 inch of edge. Repeat with blue, green, yellow, orange and red cake layers. Spread light coat of frosting on top and side of cake to seal in crumbs, then frost with remaining frosting.

RAINBOW LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Tip all the sponge ingredients, apart from the food colouring, into a mixing bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth.
• Working quickly, weigh the mixture into another bowl to work out the total weight, then weigh exactly half the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Pick two of your colours and stir a little into each mix. Keep going until you are happy with the colour - the colour of the batter now will be very similar to the finished cake, so be brave! Scrape the different batters into the tins, trying to spread and smooth as much as possible - but try not to waste a drop of the batter - a rubber spatula will help you. Bake on the same oven shelf for 15-20 mins until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. Don't worry if that sponges are thin, there are many layers.
• Gently turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool. Wash the tins and bowls thoroughly, and start again from step 1 - this time using another two colours. Unless you're making the optional pink layer, repeat one more time to get 6 sponges, all of different colours. Leave them all to cool.
• To make the icing, very briefly beat the vanilla and soft cheese or mascarpone with an electric whisk until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold in with a spatula. Be careful - the more you work it, the runnier it will get, increasing the chance of splitting.
• Smear a little icing on your cake stand or plate - just a splodge to stick the first sponge. Start with the red, then spread with some icing right to the very edge. Repeat, sandwiching on top the orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple sponges. Spread the remaining icing thickly all over the sides and top of the cake. For more expert advice on how to create the perfect rainbow cake, check out our tips, below.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Tip all the sponge ingredients, apart from the food colouring, into a mixing bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth.
• Working quickly, weigh the mixture into another bowl to work out the total weight, then weigh exactly half the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Pick two of your colours and stir a little into each mix. Keep going until you are happy with the colour - the colour of the batter now will be very similar to the finished cake, so be brave! Scrape the different batters into the tins, trying to spread and smooth as much as possible - but try not to waste a drop of the batter - a rubber spatula will help you. Bake on the same oven shelf for 15-20 mins until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. Don't worry if that sponges are thin, there are many layers.
• Gently turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool. Wash the tins and bowls thoroughly, and start again from step 1 - this time using another two colours. Unless you're making the optional pink layer, repeat one more time to get 6 sponges, all of different colours. Leave them all to cool.
• To make the icing, very briefly beat the vanilla and soft cheese or mascarpone with an electric whisk until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold in with a spatula. Be careful - the more you work it, the runnier it will get, increasing the chance of splitting.
• Smear a little icing on your cake stand or plate - just a splodge to stick the first sponge. Start with the red, then spread with some icing right to the very edge. Repeat, sandwiching on top the orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple sponges. Spread the remaining icing thickly all over the sides and top of the cake. For more expert advice on how to create the perfect rainbow cake, check out our tips, below.

RAINBOW CAKE

Steps:

• 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.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 2/3 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Divide the batter evenly among the three cake pans. (You'll want about 2 1/3 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.
• While the cakes bake, make the frosting: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk with 1/2 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.
• 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.
• 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).
• When the cakes are baked, cool them in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• 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.
• 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.)
• 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.
• Evenly divide the frosting into six bowls (you should have about 1 1/4 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.
• 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 1/3 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 1/3 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 1/3 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.)
• 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.
• 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.)
• 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).

RAINBOW LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease six 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside (if you don't have six pans, you can bake in batches).
• Sift the flour and baking powder together into a large bowl, then lightly stir in the salt and set aside. Whisk together the heavy cream and sour cream in a large measuring cup and set aside.
• Cream together the butter, coconut oil and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extract, if using. Reduce the mixer to medium-low and add the dry mixture and cream mixture in 3 alternating additions, stopping right after you add the last of the dry mixture and cream mixture; don't mix them in completely, because when you mix in the food coloring you'll continue to mix, and that's when everything will get fully combined. (Prevent overmixing at all costs!)
• Divide the batter among 6 medium bowls (using a scale is the most efficient way to do this) and stir in good big plops of food coloring until the batter is bright. Distribute the batter among the cake pans and spread it out evenly.
• Bake until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs on it; begin checking for doneness at 22 minutes and try your darnedest not to let it overbake.
• Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Level the tops of the layers with a serrated knife, then place a layer on a cardboard cake round. Stack layers up with a thin layer of Strawberry Buttercream in between each. Frost all over and decorate with sprinkles as desired. Enjoy!
• Beat together the butter and preserves in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until creamy, about 4 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the salt, vanilla, heavy cream and pink food coloring, if using. Mix until creamy.

RAINBOW LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions, substituting three whole eggs for egg whites. Divide evenly among three bowls. Stir one flavor of gelatin into each bowl until blended. Pour each into a prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean., Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. , Freeze option: Wrap cooled cake layers in plastic wrap, then cover securely in foil; freeze. To use, thaw cakes before unwrapping. Assemble as directed.

STEAMED RAINBOW LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Combine (A) together and sieve mixture into a large bowl.
• Combine (B) into a pot and bring to a boil. Slowly add to sieved (A) mixture and stir well.
• Divide into 12 equal portions and colour each portion to your liking.
• Get ready a steamer and fill it to the maximum with water. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat.
• Line a 9inch square tin with cling film.
• Pour 1 portion of batter into the tin. Cover and steam over high heat for 5-6 minutes or till no longer sticky. Repeat the method, layering it layer by layer as you go on.
• After the last layer is steamed, steam the entire thing for 20 minutes Remove, let cool and pop out of the tin.
• Cut with a knife wrapped in clingfilm.
• PS: always check there is water in the steamer, especially when you are going to let it steam for the 20 minutes.
• This should be consumed the day it is made as refrigeration ruins its texture.

STEAMED RAINBOW CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Line 20 small muffin cups or ramekins with paper liners.
• Sift flour and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Beat sugar, egg yolks, egg whites, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer in a separate bowl until very fluffy. Stir the flour mixture and soda in gradually; mix well. Place yellow, green, and red food coloring into 3 separate bowls. Mix about 4 tablespoons of batter into each bowl.
• Fill the muffin cups 3/4-full with the original batter. Drizzle with the yellow, green, and red batters. Carefully place the muffin cups into the steamer. Place a clean kitchen cloth below the lid to prevent steam from dripping onto the cakes. Cook, covered, until tops spring back when pressed, about 20 minutes.