Making a rainbow birthday cake is easier than it looks. With a few simple steps and some patience, anyone can create a cheerful, colorful cake. Below you’ll find clear tips and a full recipe to guide you through your first rainbow cake project.
This post is sponsored by Betty Crocker.
Birthdays are about celebrating the person you love—family, friends, or yourself. The most memorable parts are the feelings and the company, not perfection. Cakes don’t have to be flawless to make someone feel special. If you’re nervous about baking or decorating, breathe: imperfections are part of the charm. I’m a recovering perfectionist and reminding myself of that always helps.
I’ve wanted to make a rainbow cake for a long time, and when I had the chance to work with Betty Crocker—one of my favorite brands—I jumped at it. The process was fun and straightforward, and the photos and directions here will help you recreate it for a birthday or any celebration.
A helpful trick: trace the rim of your cake pan onto wax or parchment paper, cut the circle out, and place it in the pan. This prevents sticking and makes removing the layers easy.
For this cake I mixed one box of Betty Crocker SuperMoist White Cake Mix at a time. If you have three pans of the same size, one box makes three thin layers—ideal for a layered rainbow effect. When tinting batter, it’s easier to work from the darkest colors to the lightest, though any order will work.
Bake the colored layers, then let them cool completely on a rack. Level the tops if you like; flipping the layers so the smooth bottom is on top makes stacking and frosting easier and neater.
Before stacking, add a small dollop of frosting to your cake board or stand to anchor the first layer. I used Betty Crocker Whipped Whipped Cream Frosting—light and tasty. Place the first (purple) layer with its smooth side up, press gently, and add frosting between layers. I used roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of a frosting container per layer and smoothed it with an offset spatula.
Continue stacking the layers—blue, green, yellow, orange, red—adding and smoothing frosting between each. Don’t worry about crumbs at this stage: a light crumb coat seals everything in. Use any leftover frosting to fully cover the sides and top, smoothing with your spatula for an even finish.
I chilled the finished cake overnight to let the whipped frosting set. Once chilled, decorate with colorful nonpareils for a bright, festive look.
Cutting into the cake reveals the vibrant layers—always a joyful moment. The colors are cheerful, and the finished cake makes a great centerpiece for any birthday celebration. I had so much fun making it and can’t wait to try different color combinations next time.
Keep experimenting and remember: the celebration and the smile you create matter more than perfection. I’ll be sharing more birthday ideas soon.
Rainbow Birthday Cake
Ingredients
- 2 packages Betty Crocker SuperMoist White Cake Mix (with pudding in the mix) (16.25 ounces)
- 2 cups water, divided
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil, divided
- 6 eggs, divided
- gel food coloring, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red
- 3 containers Betty Crocker Whipped Whipped Cream Frosting (12 ounces)
- Betty Crocker Decorating Decors, Nonpareil Decors
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Trace an 8-inch round pan onto wax or parchment paper six times and cut out circles. Spray bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round pans with baking spray and press one paper circle into each pan.
- In a large bowl, combine one cake mix, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, and 3 eggs. Mix until smooth. Divide batter so you have about 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups per pan.
- Tint batter with gel food coloring, working one color at a time (purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red). Add 1–2 drops at a time until you reach the desired shade. Tint the divided batter for the first three colors and pour into pans.
- Spread batter evenly, tap pans on the counter, and bake 15–16 minutes on the middle rack. Test with a toothpick; it should come out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool in pans 5–10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks, remove paper, and cool completely.
- Wash pans and repeat steps to bake the remaining three layers in the other colors.
- Trim rounded tops if desired to level each layer.
- Place a small amount of frosting on your cake board to anchor the first layer. Put the purple layer down with its smooth bottom side up and press gently.
- Spread about 1/4 to 1/3 of a can of frosting on each layer, leaving 1/4″ from the edge. Stack layers in this order: purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red.
- Frost the top and sides, applying a thin crumb coat first if needed, then add a final even layer of frosting.
- Refrigerate the cake at least 4 hours or overnight to set the frosting. Decorate with nonpareils before serving.
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Disclosure: I’m excited to collaborate with Betty Crocker to #GetYourBettyOn. I only work with brands I trust and share my honest opinions. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. The opinions and text are all mine.