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Rainbow layer cake

in: Food & Mealtime

Rainbow Layer Cake

via smartbottomenterprises.blogspot.com

I've got a little wood nymph of daughter who just turned eight. She informed me that she doesn't want a GIRLY cake. No princesses. She prefers (and I quote) "the beauty of nature."

Well here's a cake that takes its inspiration from nature, but is satisfyingly showy and over-the-top. And it's easy to make, as long as you have enough cake pans.

I'm thinking this may be also an ideal rainy-day activity (this being Portland, we've got our share).

Thanks for sharing, Darcy!

Read the full post and recipe at Smart-Bottom Enterprises: Rainbow Cake

Related: More birthday cake ideas

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About Asha Dornfest

Asha Dornfest is a writer, parent, and insistent optimist living in Portland, Oregon. She is the author of PARENT HACKS, co-author of MINIMALIST PARENTING, and co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast.

Comments

  1. Boston Mamas says

    July 18, 2011 at 6:46 am

    Asha, I also have a wood nymph at home. 🙂 Last year I posted a rainbow cake tutorial that’s a bit of a lazier approach (you only need two pans) and results in a cool rainbow tie dye look. Everyone was amazed!

  2. Boston Mamas says

    July 18, 2011 at 6:46 am

    Gah, sorry. Here’s the link: http://www.bostonmamas.com/2010/09/how_to_make_rainbow_cake.html

  3. kirstencan says

    July 18, 2011 at 7:02 am

    when you said wood nymph it reminded me of the cake i made for my daughter’s 9th:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstencan/3611162040/in/photostream/
    (with toadstool cupcakes!)

    you can definitely do fun/girly without being princess-y!

  4. Daffodil says

    July 18, 2011 at 8:42 am

    I made a rainbow cake for my son’s half-birthday a few months ago, but I only used one pan! I used a box cake mix and followed the assembly instructions found here:
    http://www.omnomicon.com/rainbowcake
    The cake mix made two layers — I made one starting with red on the bottom and working up to purple and the other starting with purple on the bottom and working up to red (definitely the way to go). I frosted each separately and sent one of the (admittedly short!) cakes to work with my husband. Figured half a cake was fine for half a birthday!

  5. Anthony from CharismaticKid says

    July 18, 2011 at 8:49 am

    I think if I ever saw a cake like this as a child, I would start singing. In fact, I think I’ll send this cake to my twitter followers. Yum yum.

  6. Asha Dornfest says

    July 18, 2011 at 8:58 am

    That is GORGEOUS.

  7. Asha Dornfest says

    July 18, 2011 at 9:01 am

    LOVE. I have a major thing for mushrooms. This reminds me of something that would be served at a Sherwood Forest tea party!

  8. Patsy says

    July 18, 2011 at 9:29 am

    I made these for my daughters 4th birthday for her party at school…. http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206082_799158942518_60709012_39280979_188298_n.jpg

    http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206082_799158942518_60709012_39280979_188298_n.jpg

  9. Patsy says

    July 18, 2011 at 9:31 am

    opps the second link should be this http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/198594_799150958518_60709012_39280760_5897638_n.jpg

  10. Melissa says

    July 18, 2011 at 9:56 am

    It’s gorgeous, and I hate to be a killjoy, but does anybody know where I could get natural dyes to do something like this (and get as lovely a result?!?!)

  11. pook says

    July 18, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    Melissa, I would love to know what info you get – please post here.

  12. Erin says

    July 18, 2011 at 10:32 pm

    Not as vibrant, but there’s a recipe for “Frozen rainbow chiffon cake” in this months Martha Stewart Living magazine.
    Here’s a pic of the cake: http://www.scatterpig.com/2011/07/cake-and-collectables/
    (The layers are tinted with fruit puree.)

    I can’t find the recipe online (maybe it’s too new to be out and around yet, since it’s in the most current issue?) but if anyone is interested in it I can type it up on here late tonight or tomorrow.
    Hope this helps!

  13. Asha Dornfest says

    July 19, 2011 at 7:25 am

    I posted your question on Twitter/FB, and here’s what I got:

    Christine (Bostonmamas) has seen natural colorings at Whole Foods and also suggested these: http://www.supplyvillage.com/chefmaster-natural-food-coloring.html

    My brilliant natural-foodie friend Andrea says: http://www.seelecttea.com/index.php?cPath=41

    A how-to at eHow (it’s limited): http://www.ehow.com/how_2302808_make-natural-food-coloring.html

  14. Maisha says

    July 19, 2011 at 7:54 am

    You can do this same recipe (but without the frosting inbetween layers) with cupcakes! It’s yummy, we’ve done it several times, in both cake form and cupcake form.

  15. brülör says

    August 9, 2011 at 1:35 am

    I made a rainbow cake for my son’s half-birthday a few months ago, but I only used one pan! I used a box cake mix and followed the assembly instructions found here:

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