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So I'm making a rainbow layer cake for DD's birthday. I'm kind of confident I can do it, it doesn't look *too* tricky. I'm no Rouge or anything though :rofl:
Has anyone made one? Got a recipe to share, your experiences, tips or tricks? What sort of frosting should I make? I'm thinking either a cream cheese or marshmallow.
I don't think it will be hard, just time consuming!! I am making my first one too in a few days for DD's 1st birthday but it's for her 'cake smash' photos ;) can't wait!!!
I am using the recipe from taste website :) good luck!!
How about the icing on Netix' red velvet cake recipe?
Wilton gel colours are nice and strong. Way better than the supermarket ones and you can buy them in multi-packs that are prefect for rainbow cakes.
Measure the mixture out properly and use exactly the same cake tins. When I made DD's cake, I used tins that were the same size, but not exactly the same (brought at different times) so the cakes were a slightly different shape and you could see they were uneven when she cut it. It wasn't a huge disaster, but I could tell!
It isn't difficult to actually make, it just takes time, especially when you only have two cake tins to make 7 cakes with! I used a plain old butter icing and although it was a little yellow-ish, it still looked pretty good!
Will let you know tomorrow!! :rofl: Onyx where do you get the gel colours? Cake shop or do some bigger supermarkets have them???
Tan the cake shop out back of Chirnside sells Wilton colours
If you don't have a cake decorating or kitchen supplies shop near you that sell wilton colours they are easy to get online.
Thanks loves! Onyz - making it tomoz so online isn't gonna cut it! Chirny is close though thanks Jols! ooooh Spotters might have them too maybe?!!
Could you do three cake layers, with three layers of icing, all in different colours? I've seen that somwehere, maybe Pinterest... Anyway, it'd go
Red Icing
Orange Cake
Yellow Icing
Green Cake
Blue Icing
Purple Cake
Or, change all those colours to whatever the other layer is (so red icing becomes red cake, etc.) and have thick blue and white icing on top in a kind of sky-looking design so when you cut into it everyone goes "oooooh" :D
If you want a general cake tip - I don't know how often you make cakes - a good one is to always use room temperature ingredients (except probably milk, but even then you don't want it too cold) and a preheated oven.
FWIW PZ Im using the Greens essential vanilla cake mix, dividing each into 2 and doing the colours as per what TB posted! I am using the Swiss meringue cream icing that Rouge mentioned in the other thread.
When I first started making cakes (DD's first cake was a ladybird cake, 10 years ago!) I used cake mix. I also used my bamix with whisk attachment as a mixer in a tiny kitchen smaller than my bathroom. You don't need to go nuts. I learnt to decorate with buttercream well before I baked my own cakes ;) and I have used greens butter cake mix (the best packet mix IMO) to make the rainbow cakes before. Easy as. You can do this :) Promise.
Rouge may need you to come over for a test run and cuppa ;)
Thanks so much guys! I'm an okay baker, but I am leaning towards a mix just for the time saving aspects, and the ease. I'm so excited to be planning all the bits and bobs for a birthday party, I feel like a proper adult (almost).
Totally up for the test run!
Can I just say I totally get the proper adult thing. I can still remember what it felt like to decorate DD's first cake... Especially given I never had birthday cakes often as a kid *cue violins* and have baked every year since then. Naw.
Same same! My mum tried, but she's not much of a baker. One year we had half a watermelon with candles stuck in :D
PZ - You can do it! I agree there is nothing wrong with a mix esp when you have a whole party to cater for! Not to mention a birthday to enjoy and celebrate. Google Martha Stewart Rainbow cake for inspiration and then use a packet to get the result! I love making bday cakes for the kids - so so much fun. Congrats and make sure you post a pic ok??? x
Tan its on switchback road
Thank you! Do you think that liquid ones would work ok considering we are dyeing the cake mix not the icing so it shouldn't affect consistency?? Sorry a bit OT PZ!
Nah go ahead, it's for everyone making this cake. I'm so excited :) We'll all have to post pics of our masterpieces.
You can definitely use liquid. I don't like the cake place at chirnside. They are way more expensive than everywhere else. Try wests cake supplies in burwood or spotlight. Red will be the only colour not so perfect with liquid. The gel colours are more vibrant.
Ooooh rainbow cake! I might try baking one next weekend :)
Good luck PZ :)
So far so good- the vanilla mix is great - split into 2 each with the liquid food colours and Rouge spot on with the red, it's still red (I used the pillar box red) but not as red as it could be so if you want super bright definitely get the gel PZ, I was too lazy to head to Chirny anyway!! Am still packing myself about the buttercream - am going to make it once kids go to bed tonight so I won't be distracted and miss a step - will then refrigerate overnight and pray I have enough time to put it on the cake in the morning plus coat the cake pops :o
Cake photo ;) ok so cheating but how cute are these! Getting so excited now!!!
Wow they're great, we did you get them?
On etsy hun then got them printed at a local printing place on glossy stiff card!! Will pm you the name if you like! Very cute stuff!
Can you post pics after the party Tanstar? I'm doing one for DD in 2 mths, looking for inspiration :)
No probs hun, will be taking lots!
Yay - have a great day, I'm sure all your hard work will be worth it!
Success!!!! Quick one but wanted to share a photo of my princess with her cake!!!! http://instagr.am/p/LHe2hosKCF/ BBL!
Woohoooo! Congrats! Looks great :)
Photos on my blog in signature!!
Will post in the other thread about the buttercream but the cakes worked perfectly, 3 packs of Greens vanilla, divided into 2, liquid Queens colouring. Cakes took around 15 mins to bake, I sliced the bit that rose in the middle off the top of them in the morning then creamed the middle and top, and then Swiss buttercream on top! The recipe I used is from a blog called Whisk-kid- she's the original Rainbow Cake baker. I only JUST had enough of it to cover the cake and as you will see in the photos it was a bit thin on the sides so I would recommend either doubling or 1.5ing the recipe. I made the buttercream the night before, followed instructions and on low slowly beat it once it was back to room temp but it separated and I nearly had a conniption. A quick google and found a fix where you remove 1/4 of the mix and microwave for 10-15 seconds and it's all soupy and runny then slowly add it back to the mixer, then up on high again and voila - back to gorgeous glossiness! The buttercream was perfect - light and not too sweet!
Ok that's all from me and I totally recommend anyone wanting to do this to have a go - it was a bit time consuming (baking the cakes over the course of the day and then the buttercream which took around 1 hour all up) but totally worth it!!
It's supposed to separate ;) It's what happens when the butter incorporates with the meringue. You just whip it on high till it come back together. Then on low again to get the air out. But I'm glad your method worked :)
Oooops!!!! It said to whip on low so I was a bit frightened of wrecking it so that's why I googled "Swiss meringue buttercream fix separating" Good to know for next time :rofl:It looked horrific!!
Amazing! I had to laugh, I asked for the exact post you just made on IG. I'm so excited to try this, super impressive!
It's so fun PZ!!! Still can't believe I pulled it off!!!
PZ, I have made loads of rainbow and zebra cakes and they are definitely not hard, just time consuming. The others have all given you great tips so I wont confuse you any more with those :) One tip I will give you that no one else has - when you are 'building' the cake, hold all the layers in place using skewers, otherwise they may start to slip to one side until the icing sets.
Tanstar the photos looked great! Great cake and cake pops!
I haven't decided what icing/buttercream to use. I don't have a stand mixer so it's probably going to be whatever I can make easily with my $20 beater! Though I did just make macarons yesterday (with some help from DH to pour in the hot sugar!).