Wow! You guys sure love an organized Family Command Center, and really want one for yourself…I can’t believe all the entries so far in the $100 Staples Card Giveaway for a Martha Stewart Wall Organizer! I love the new system too, and really love how easy it’s been to keep organized. Anything that helps our lives run smoother is genius in my book!
As you know, our Babygirl turned 7 on Easter Sunday, and we celebrated with an Art Party (see her invites and win some of your own here). Correction. Another Art Party. Since we had an Art Party for her sixth birthday, too. But, it’s what she requested…and I’m surely not going to argue with anything involving creativity and all the colors of the rainbow! But I didn’t want to just repeat everything we did last year, including the adorable Rainbow Layer Cake…so we swirled up the colors for this year’s cake.
The Rainbow Swirl Cake was a huge hit, and there wasn’t a single piece leftover. Care to make this simple cake? Of course you do. All you need is vanilla cake mix and all the fixins instructed on the box, and food color. The gel food colors are great for really vibrant hues, which is what you want for this pot of gold. And sure, you can make your own white cake, but I let Betty do what Betty does best.
Follow all the instructions on the box to make your batter, then split equally into six bowls. Color each bowl in a shade from the rainbow. If you’re challenged slow blonde like me, you’ll need to repeat, ‘red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple’ about 187 times during this process. In the first cake pan, spread a layer of red (pink in our case) batter, using all but a few tablespoons, on the bottom.
Carefully pour a smaller amount of orange batter in the middle. You can use a spoon to gently spread the batter, but don’t mix it.
Keep going, in rainbow order, with each circle getting smaller.
Finish with a dollop of purple in the middle.
In the second pan, use the remaining divided batter, but go in reverse rainbow order. This part was a little taxing on my brain. “Purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red?” Then bake according to the instructions, but don’t overbake, or the colors start to fade.
I wanted a taller cake, so I made a second box of batter and repeated the whole process after the first batch came out of the oven, for a total of four layers.
Recruit the cutest bed-headed, bowl-licker you can find to help you clean up.
My layers weren’t all the same size, and some were really rounded on top, so after icing between each layer, I covered it with a sheet of parchment paper, and placed a heavy stone pan on top for several hours. This compressed and flattened each layer, which I think makes for a prettier finished cake.
I covered the entire cake with white icing (it creates a more dramatic reveal once it’s cut), and added two rows of M&Ms. Again with the, ‘red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.’ And yes, you’ll eat just as many M&Ms as you put on the cake. Make peace with it. And if you’re decorating it at midnight the night before the party, the candies won’t be straight. Make peace with that, too.
The little bunting-topper was a Target find.
So cute I could hardly stand to cut it!
I love the excitement everyone has waiting to see what the inside looks like! Once again, the cake was a highlight of Babygirl’s Art Party.
Each layer is unique, but all were equally yummy. I don’t know who liked it better…the kids or the grown-ups!
It was a cake almost as bright and cheery as the birthday girl.
Sure wish I had a piece right now! I’ll share the rest of the party with you soon!
This turned out great! What a fun party for your little girl.
Sarah
What a great theme! The cake is too cute. Love!
Jenny
http://www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
You put on the best parties! When I first read that you did an art party I checked the date on the post to make sure I wasn't reading last year's party ;-), but HOW FUN that she wanted the same theme. I love that! And your outfit was so darn chic I had to click through to all the items. I will be hunting down that shirt at Old Navy today!
Happy birthday to your baby girl!
Well hello FABULOUS! This cake is gorgeous! Love it! I will totally be stealing this idea :).
Sooo cute Cassie! I made a zebra cake with that Sam technique but chocolate and vanilla I remember cutting into it and praying it worked!!
Sooo cute Cassie! I made a zebra cake with that Sam technique but chocolate and vanilla I remember cutting into it and praying it worked!!
Great picture of the birthday girl!
Great picture of the birthday girl!
I almost want to make one of those cakes just for fun! How neat! Thanks for sharing. I love the bunting topper, too!
You're seriously amazing! My birthday was in February, but I take a cake, really, for any occasion 🙂
PS: Of course your outfit was too freaking cute!
So so darling. I LOVE this! Riley would go nuts. Love my little S.
Love it! We made a rainbow cake years ago for a Wizard of Oz party.
The cake was already DARLING…and then you went and added the litle pennant and made it even more DARING!
oh my goodness – i LOVE this. am i still allowed to make it even though I don't have any kids? it's the cutest.
— jackiejade.blogspot.com
Looks amazing! Pretty sure if I attempted this it was turn out a poo brown color!
The cake is just adorable but your outfit is amazing! Love the color combo and the extra pattern added by your belt.
Oh yum! That looks cute and delicious! 😉
Glad the party was a success!
This looks delicious. So fun and so pretty!
LOVE! I am always looking for fun ways to spice up a boxed mix and this, as they say, "takes the cake"! 😉 Thanks so much for sharing! And Happy Birthday to your beautiful little girl!
~Abby =)
What a fun cake for a beautiful birthday girl!
I can't decide what my favorite part is . . . your outfit, the cake, or the bday girl with her piece of cake!
What a "HAppy" cake. I really like this idea and will have to do it for my own party! Happy birthday to your daughter.
So cute! I'll be trying this one! Great tip about compressing it with the pizza stone.
I thought I was your cutest bed-headed bowl licker.
This cake rocks my world. Even the batter looked deliciously gorgeous unbaked. And that rainbow marble effect is TOTES AWESOME.
Also totes awesome: your outfit & Sloan's beautiful birthday smile.
Oh, my! That looks so delicious! Love the color!
I LOVE THESE CAKES. I can't wait to try this. Nice job!
// Justynn
Love this cake and I'm thinking of attempting it for Master 3's Birthday soon. Can you please tell me what size cake tin did you use?
Thanks so much
Kim
Hi Kim — I used a standard 9-inch round pan. But any size would work, just adjust your baking time accordingly!
Hello!
I love this cake! I made one for my girl’s 3rd Birthday but made 6 different colors levels. I am not l am currently looking for an idea for my son’s 2nd. I think i want to make this cake but with his Pirate cake 🙂 thinking 1 large round layer then smaller round layer and one of those half ball cake pan layer, wonder how many boxes of pre mixed cake i would need though!?