A beautiful, bright, show-stopping, delicious rainbow layer cake with sprinkles. Nothing beats slicing into this cake and seeing the vibrant colors of the rainbow! This rainbow cake is perfect for birthdays and other special occasions!
This decadent and vivid Rainbow Sprinkle Cake is absolutely gorgeous and a crowd pleaser!
This cake has 6 bright colorful layers from the rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The acronym ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) is useful to remember the order of the rainbow colors. As indigo and violet are fairly similar you can skip indigo. To decorate this cake I add vanilla buttercream in between each layer and frost the cake with vanilla buttercream. Then I add multi-colored sprinkles to the entire body of the cake and use a piping bag and star nozzle to create swirls around the rim of the cake.
What I Love About This Recipe?
Every time I make this cake I see the delight in people’s faces when they get their first slice. It definitely brings life to the phrase “taste the rainbow ” and it always adds excitement to special occasions!
A super easy recipe of a colorful cake that is kids friendly and trust me, there won’t be any leftovers! Feel free to experiment with this bright cake’s frosting- you can try chocolate, strawberry or any other flavor you wish. You may always use white flour or GF flour in place of self-raising flour.
Every bite of this rainbow cake smothered with sprinkles is indulging!
Ingredients
This recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients that can be bought from a local store if you don’t already have them in your pantry. Read the Recipe Card for the measurements.
For Rainbow Layer Cake
This is a 6” cake with 6 layers of vanilla sponge. This vanilla sponge is made with butter using the creaming method. All ingredients should be at room temperature and all dry ingredients should be sifted (poured through a sieve) before baking.
- Unsalted butter- I have used unsalted butter. Any local brand works. Make sure that the butter is at room temperature when you start with steps.
- Caster sugar- is finer than granulated sugar and dissolves easily with melted butter. You may use coconut or brown sugar as well.
- Vanilla extract- I prefer using vanilla extract over essence as extract adds a strong aroma and flavor to this cake.
- Eggs- Eggs add the natural structure and moisture to this cake. They help create a fluffy and soft cake. To make this rainbow cake vegan, you may skip adding eggs and add a flax egg or vegan yogurt with oil.
- Self-raising flour- Using self-raising flour eases up the baking process. If you have time, you may always use white flour with leavening agents. For gf, use gf flour.
- Milk- I have used full-fat milk and recommend using it. If you wish to make this layer cake vegan, use vegan milk or yogurt.
- 1/8-1/4 tsp of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet food coloring gel. Each gel is of rainbow color.
- Sprinkles- Any local good brand will work.
Equipment
- Piping bags
- 6” Cake tins
- Cake board
- Cake turntable
- Water bottle for syrup
- Cake smoother
Variations
- Rainbow Cheesecake- If you love cheesecake, this rainbow cake can be easily made as cheesecake. Make a base of graham crackers. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, cream, eggs and divide into parts. Add color to each part and add to the top of the graham base. Bake this colorful cake!
- Easy Rainbow Unicorn Cake- Make this cake a designer cake by adding a unicorn shape for your kid!
- Eggless Rainbow Cake- If you dislike the flavor of egg in cakes, feel free to replace it by flax egg, yogurt and oil.
- Rainbow Jello Cake- Twist my recipe of layer cake by adding colorful jello to the cake batter!
Storage Instructions
I would be surprised if there are any leftovers from this amazing cake! If you have any, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This cake is not recommended to be frozen and I prefer to serve it fresh!
How to Make Rainbow Sprinkle Cake
This rainbow cake is bright, fun and delicious! The steps below will guide you through how to make a rainbow cake from scratch.
TOP TIP: Bake cakes on the middle oven rack if possible. If you don’t have space for 6 tins in your oven then you can half the recipe below and make three cakes first and then bake the remaining three.
Prep Baking Tins
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas mark 3. Start by greasing 6 non-stick 6″ cake tins with butter or oil and line them with baking paper if necessary.
Mix Ingredients
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter, and sifted caster sugar. Whisk it for a few minutes or until it is pale yellow.
- Mix vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture. To this, add an egg and mix well until the egg is not visible.
- Keep adding the remaining eggs in a similar way. If you add all of the eggs at once the mixture may split and curdle. The mixture should look smooth and silky.
- Gradually add sifted self-raising flour (not all at once) to the mixture and room temperature milk and mix.
- Add the rest of the self-raising flour and milk then mix.
- Note: Do not overmix the cake batter as you still need to mix in food coloring. Overmixing will result in a tough cake.
Color Up the Layers
- You will need red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet food coloring. I suggest you use the gel as the colors come out a lot more vibrant. Add equal amounts of the cake batter to six different bowls and add each food coloring and mix until well combined.
- Add each colored cake batter into the greased tins and bake for 30 minutes or until done.
- To test if your cake is ready, stick a knife into the cake. If it comes out clean then it is done but if it is wet with cake batter then it’s not ready. Once the cakes are ready leave them to cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating.
As you can see from the image below not all of the cakes appear to be the right color. Don’t worry this is perfectly normal because most cakes get burnt on the outside. All you need to do is use a knife to shave off the burnt bits and the color will come through.
Prep Butter Cream
- Take another bowl and add room temperature unsalted butter. Whisk on a low speed for 1 minute. Then add some sifted icing sugar and whisk on a medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract, and double cream. Whisk for 3-5 minutes or until spreadable. Click here for my detailed vanilla buttercream recipe and video.
Assemble The Rainbow Layers
- Make sure you stack the cakes in the correct order once it’s time to decorate.
- Add buttercream to the center of an 8″ cake board. Then place the violet cake on the board. Option to add homemade syrup to the cake to keep it moist. Then add buttercream. Repeat this step for the rest of the cakes.
Syrup Recipe: Heat a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar in a saucepan to create a syrup. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes and leave to cool.
- Then add buttercream to a piping bag and cover the cake in buttercream. Use a smoother to smooth the cake. I recommend refrigerating the cake for 30 minutes.
- You have the option to add a second layer of buttercream or skip this and add sprinkles to the entire body of the cake using your hands or a spoon.
- Finally, add a star nozzle to a piping bag, add buttercream and add swirls around the rim of the cake.
Serve The Cake
Serve the show-stopping rainbow cake with sprinkles! Cut into the cake, take your first slice and take a look at the beautiful rainbow colors!
Top Tips
- Cake tins: This cake is tall as I used 6″ cake tins. You can also use 7″ tins or 8″ tins. However, be aware that the cake layers will be thinner.
- Different proportions: You can double or triple this recipe depending on how many people you need to feed. If you want to make a smaller amount then be aware that the cake layers will be thinner and this can sometimes be difficult to decorate.
- Ingredients: Make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature. Sift all of the dry ingredients before mixing.
- Overmixing batter: Do not overmix the batter because the cake will become tough.
- Baking: Cakes should be baked on the middle shelf. Baking cakes on the top shelf can result in dry burnt cakes and baking cakes on the bottom shelf can take longer. Add cakes to the oven as soon as possible for the best results. Also, do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes of baking.
- Moisture: If you want to add more moisture to the cake then heat a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar in a saucepan to create a syrup. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes and leave to cool.
- Different ways to decorate: You can decorate this cake in lots of different ways. If you want a simple look then skip the sprinkles and frost the cake with vanilla buttercream. You can also add chocolate drip or use rainbow-colored buttercream!
FAQS
1. Grease 6 non-stick cake tins.
2. Grab a large bowl. Add unsalted butter and caster sugar and whisk for 3-5 minutes or until pale yellow.
3. Add eggs and vanilla extract to the bowl and whisk again.
4. Then add self-raising flour, milk and mix.
5. Add equal amounts of the cake batter to 6 different bowls.
6. Add 1/8 to 1/4 of red food coloring to one of the bowls with cake batter and stir until well combined. Repeat this step with the orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet food coloring.
7. Finally, bake the cakes at 160C/320F for 30 minutes or until done.
Yes, you can. Add food coloring to the cake batter just before you put it in the oven. Make sure the food coloring and cake batter is well combined before baking.
Rainbow cake is made of layers of vanilla cake colored with food coloring.
Gel food coloring is better than liquid coloring because the colors come out a lot more vibrant. Gel food coloring is made with synthetic coloring, water, and corn syrup or a glycerin base. This makes the texture thick and gel-like. Whereas liquid food coloring is made with synthetic coloring and has a water base. This makes it more liquid and causes the colors to come out pale.
More Cake Recipes
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Rainbow Layer Cake with Sprinkles
Equipment
- 6" cake tins
- Electric whisk or stand mix
Ingredients
Rainbow Cake
- 700 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 700 g caster sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 700 g eggs room temperature
- 700 g self-raising flour sifted
- 4-6 tbsp milk room temperature
- 1/8-1/4 tsp of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet food colouring gel
How to Make Buttercream
- 900 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 1700 g icing sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup of double cream
How to Assemble the Rainbow Layered Cake with Sprinkles
- 3-5 cups multi colored sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas mark 3. Start by greasing 6 non-stick 6" cake tins with butter or oil and line them with baking paper if necessary.
- Next, add 700g of room temperature butter to a large bowl.
- Add 700g of sifted caster sugar.
- Whisk for 3-5 minutes or until pale yellow.
- Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the mixture. Then measure 700g of room temperature eggs. Add one into the bowl and whisk until the egg is no longer visible. Repeat the previous step for the remaining eggs. If you add all of the eggs at once the mixture may split and curdle. The mixture should look smooth and silky.
- Add 350g of sifted self-raising flour to the mixture and 2-3 tbsp of room temperature milk and mix. Repeat the previous step with the remaining 350g of self-raising flour and milk then mix.
- You will need red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet food colouring. I suggest you use gel as the colours come out a lot more vibrant. Add equal amounts of the cake batter to six different bowls and add 1/8-1/4 tsp of each food colouring and mix until well combined.
- Add each colored cake batter into the greased 6″ tins and bake for 30 minutes or until done. To test if your cake is ready stick a knife into the cake. If it comes out clean then it is done but if it is wet with cake batter then it’s not ready. Once the cakes are ready leave them to cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating.
How to Make Buttercream
- Add 900 g of room temperature unsalted butter to a large bowl and whisk on a low speed for 1 minute. Then add 850 g of the sifted icing sugar and whisk on a medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining 850 g of sifted icing sugar, 2 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of double cream. Whisk for 3-5 minutes or until spreadable. Click here for my detailed vanilla buttercream recipe and video.
How to Assemble the Rainbow Layered Cake with Sprinkles
- Make sure you stack the cakes in the correctorder once it's time to decorate.
- Add buttercream 1/2 a tbsp of buttercream to the center of an 8" cake board. Then place the violet cake on the board. Option to add homemade syrup to the cake to keep it moist. (see notes). Then add buttercream. Repeat this step for the rest of the cakes.
- Then add buttercream to a piping bag and cover the cake in buttercream. Use a smoother to smooth the cake. Then refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.
- Next, you have the option to add a second layer ofbuttercream or skip this and add sprinkles to the entire body of the cake usingyour hands or a spoon.
- Finally, add a star nozzle to a piping bag, add buttercream and add swirls around the rim of the cake.
- Now get ready to serve this show-stopping rainbow cake! Cut into the cake, take your first slice and take a look at the beautiful rainbow colors!
Notes
- Cake tins: This cake is tall as I used 6″ cake tins. You can also use 7″ tins or 8″ tins. However, be aware that the cake layers will be thinner.
- Different proportions: You can double or triple this recipe depending on how many people you need to feed. If you want to make a smaller amount then be aware that the cake layers will be thinner and this can sometimes be difficult to decorate.
- Ingredients: Make sure that all of the ingredients are room temperature. Sift all of the dry ingredients before mixing.
- Overmixing batter: Do not overmix the batter because the cake will become tough.
- Baking: Cakes should be baked on the middle shelf. Baking cakes on the top shelf can result in dry burnt cakes and baking cakes on the bottom shelf can take longer. Add cakes to the oven as soon as possible for the best results. Also, do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes of baking.
- Moisture: If you want to add more moisture to the cake then heat a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar in a saucepan to create a syrup. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes and leave to cool.
- Different ways to decorate: You can decorate this cake in lots of different ways. If you want a simple look then skip the sprinkles and frost the cake with vanilla buttercream. You can also add chocolate drip or use rainbow-colored buttercream!
Super easy to make rainbow layer cake and with a cute sprinkles! It taste amazing too! Fam really loves it! Thanks for sharing!
I was a little intimidated when I saw this recipe on Pinterest–but after coming to your blog and using the interactions to the letter, this rainbow layer cake with sprinkles was easy and turned out stunning. Everyone loved it.
This is such a gorgeous cake! I love all of the colorful layers, I cannot wait to try this.
I love how simple this was to make, and so good at the end! The buttercream was delicious! I’m surely making this again!
I have always wanted to make a rainbow cake and this is going to be my project this summer with my boys. Love the idea of using sprinkles to decorate as it is so easy for beginner like me. Thanks for the recipe and tips.
Wow. I would love to make this rainbow cake for my lil one. He would love this. Thanks for sharing detailed recipe.
This Rainbow Cake is so beautiful and definitely delicious.
Thanks for sharing your step-by-step procedure on making it.
Oh how fun, colorful and festive! Seriously, this brought such a HUGE smile to my face! I love that there are bajillion sprinkles and all the colors of the rainbow! This cake looks so scrumptious too!
Thanks Lori! It’s one of my favorite cakes to make.
Wow, this is such a showstopper! I love how bright the colors are. So perfect for a birthday party! And it looks delicious, too.
You are so right!
What a gorgeous cake. So fun and so summery. I bet my boys would love this cake too. I will save this recipe and make it for our next garden family party. Thanks.
My granddaughter’s would love this. Putting it on my must make list, now. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful, fun and the instructions you gave made this not seem so intimidating to bake!
This sure is a show stopper!! At first it looks intimidating but your clear and concise instructions and tips make this cake completely doable! Great recipe!
This cake is so beautiful. I can’t wait to try it as a pride month recipe!
What an amazing cake and really so simple to make. This is definitely a showstopper.
I love this cake! It’s so colorful and sound super delicious! Have to try this one out for my daughters’ birthday! Thanks for sharing!
Just love rainbow cakes. They are great. Yours looks stunning. You must have made few people really jealous 😀
I made this rainbow layer cake with sprinkles for my daughter’s birthday party, and it was a hit with both kids and adults. Everyone loved the colorful layers and sprinkles, and the cake was gone in no time.
Hi Eleanor, Thanks for the feedback. I am so happy to hear that the cake was hit! 🙂