Rainbow cake

Rainbow cakes are quite popular. Typically, the coloured cake layers are baked separately in different cake-pans. They are finally stacked together with some frosting between layers. Beautiful as these Rainbow cakes are, they certainly take more time and effort than we normally have at hand.t wait a minute! Team Namaste Switzerland likes to keep things simple for our readers. We’ve made this artistic cake simple by getting rid of the time-consuming layering and frosting procedures. Simply use the piping method to create the layers and bake at one shot, instead of baking each layer separately and then frosting it up all over again. The piping method also allows the vibrant layers to merge through the baking session, creating a soft marbled effect.

With the piping approach, this recipe is simple enough for an impromptu baking session with your kids, or for weekends when you long for a warm slice of cake with your evening cuppa chai!

So, off we went with the kids (5-12 years) to make our day full of fun and colour.  The older children measured out the ingredients and adding them to the bowl in different steps outlined below. The little ones loved mixing in the colours. All that the mums needed to do here was to supervise, instruct, and intervene when necessary to make sure the colour chaos heads in a creative direction!

With the oven warming us and the aroma of vanilla filling the air, baking this gorgeous, multi-hued rainbow cake turned out to be fantastic session full of smiles and laughter. Of course, the children were very enthusiastic about, what we called, ‘Operation Clean-up’, too!

Was the cake as tasty as it looked? Little mouths that were too busy eating cake gave it a  thumbs-up all around the table… We had our answer. Delicious, indeed!

Recipe

Special Equipment:

• 1 Bundt cake pan
• 6 to 7 good quality gel food colours, in the colours of the rainbow (these can be sourced from speciality baking stores)
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 hand-held mixer or stand mixer
• 6 or 7 small bowls to hold the coloured batter
• Piping bags (6 to 7)

Instructions

1. Grease the inside of your Bundt pan using butter and dust flour all over the inside. Shake off the excess flour. Keep your prepared Bundt pan aside.
2. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the granulated sugar, butter and eggs at medium speed until well blended. Reduce the speed and add milk and vanilla, mixing gradually.
3. Continuing on low speed, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour gradually, in three parts, mixing gently after each addition. Beat for a further 1 minute. The batter is now ready. Turn on the oven and preheat oven to 350°F (or 180°C).
4. Transfer the batter to bowls, in equal quantities. Add 2 drops of gel food colour to each bowl, and beat the batter until the batter is uniformly coloured. Transfer the coloured batter from each bowl to individual piping bags.

5. Begin with the red batter, pipe the batter neatly into the bottom of the bundt pan. Follow with the orange batter, and continue with the coloured batter, following the colour sequence of the rainbow, finishing off with purple.

6. Once done, tap the bundt pan a couple of times on a counter to release trapped air bubbles, and bake it at 180 C for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Get creative. Get your children involved, and have a fun-filled baking session!

Photos by Shinta Simon

Disclaimer: Opinions and methods expressed are solely of the writer. Namaste Switzerland does not undertake any obligation or liability which may arise from the content.