Four Flavor Rainbow Layer Cake Recipe (2024)

August 4, 2022April 1, 2024

This Rainbow Layer Cake is packed with a different flavor in every layer!

My husband made this Rainbow Layer Cake for Easter. I would suggest you may want to enjoy this cake at least once. It’s perfect for any celebration when you want to Wow the crowd. It’s huge so be sure to invite friends and family to enjoy it with you.

This Rainbow Layer Cake is rather majestic with four layers! Slice those layers thin and you should be able to get about 20 slices so it will feed a crowd. One slice covers a full size dinner plate.

It’s what I lovingly refer to as a ‘cheating cake,’ because it’s a box mix but trust me when I say, the flavors are amazing! There are many, many box mix recipes out there which will make you think you are eating a cake made from scratch. This is one of those. Don’t you just love Tricks with Cake Mix recipes! We do.

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It’s pretty tall, don’t you think. We made this disappearing flavor packed cake for Easter and everyone loved it.

This cake is frosted with a basic buttercream frosting which is a family favorite. We also stacked the layers in a different color pattern than Kraft just for the fun of it! We were very happy with this recipe and will likely make it again for a special occasion.

INSPIRATION

This cake was inspired by the Rainbow Layer Cake found in a magazine put out by Kraft a few years ago. They used a whipped cream frosting which doesn’t appeal to anyone in our family so we went with a Buttercream frosting. You can find our Buttercream frosting recipe as you scroll down.

THE SECRET

The secret to the flavors is using dry gelatin mix. We used; Raspberry, Orange, Lime and Berry Blue gelatin. It’s a pretty cool trick which we have used again. You could easily make a cake in team colors using the gelatin trick.

Tools

• Four 8″ round cake pans, like these
• Electric hand Mixer, like this or Stand mixer, like this
• Spatula
• 4 medium size bowls

Ingredients

• 2 boxes of white cake mix, divided (I used Pillsbury)
• ½ of 3-oz. pkg. each flavor of gelatin; Raspberry, Orange, Lime and Berry Blue (Jello)
• Oil according to pkg directions (1/2 cup oil)
• Water according to pkg. directions (1 cup water)
• Egg whites according to pkg. directions (4 egg whites)

Directions

1.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour four 8″ cake pans and set aside.

2.

Prepare the cake batter according to package directions one box of mix at a time. Divide the cake batter equally between four bowls.

3.

Into each bowl of cake batter, stir one flavor of gelatin. Do not make the gelatin. Simply pour the powder into the cake batter an stir until completely dissolved.

• One bowl will get half of a 3 oz. box of raspberry gelatin
• One bowl will get half of a 3 oz. box of orange gelatin
• One bowl will get half of a 3 oz. box of lime gelatin
• One bowl will get half of a 3 oz. box of berry blue gelatin

4.

Now pour each bowl of cake batter into the prepared cake pans. Place the cake pans in the oven and bake at 350° until done, about 20-30 minutes depending on how hot your oven bakes. Use the toothpick test by sticking a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it comes out wet, continue to bake until done.

5.

Cool the layers completely before frosting the cake. My Buttercream Frosting recipe is below. You may need to double the recipe if you want more frosting between the layers. However, you can use store bought frosting if you like. I won’t tell.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

This is a basic homemade buttercream frosting you can use on almost any cake. I prefer to use a stand mixer when making buttercream frosting because the process takes a little while.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Softened Butter
• 2 pkgs. (16 oz. ea.) Confectioners’ Sugar
• 1 tsp. Clear Vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. Milk

INSTRUCTIONS

• Add the butter into a large mixing bowl. Cream butter until light and fluffy.
• Add milk and vanilla to the fluffy butter, a little at a time blending after each addition on low speed.
• Now add the powdered sugar a little at a time while blending on medium speed. If you add too much at one time it will blow back and create a mess.
• Continue to mix until your frosting reaches the consistency of your choice. Thick enough to frost the cake but not too thick to spread.

NOTE About making this frosting

If your frosting is too think, simply add a drop more milk and continue to blend until you are happy with the consistency. If it is too think, add more powdered sugar, about one tablespoon at a time and mix until it’s the right consistency.

More Cake Recipes Starting with a Boxed Mix

• Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
• Strawberry Cake Recipe with Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting
• Grasshopper Poke Cake Recipe
• Citrus Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting Easy Recipe
• Pineapple Angel Food Cake Easy Recipe
• Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes Recipe