How to Make Rainbow Velvet Cake
This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process from mixing the batter to the final decorations.
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line six 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. If you don’t have six pans, bake in batches.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined—avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
Step 4: Divide and Color
Divide the batter evenly into six bowls (about 1 cup per bowl). Add a small amount of gel food coloring to each bowl to create vibrant red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple batters. Mix well until the colors are fully incorporated.
Step 5: Bake the Layers
Pour each colored batter into a prepared cake pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool completely before removing them from the pans.
Step 6: Assemble the Cake
Place the purple layer on a cake board or plate. Spread a thin, even layer of cream cheese frosting on top, then stack the blue layer. Repeat with the green, yellow, orange, and red layers, frosting between each one.
Step 7: Frost and Decorate
Spread a crumb coat of frosting around the entire cake to lock in crumbs, then chill for 15 minutes. Apply a final layer of frosting, smoothing it out evenly. Decorate with swirls of frosting on top and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles for extra flair.
