Best 7 Rainbow Butterfly Cake Recipes

RAINBOW SWIRL CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
• Add the butter, vegetable oil and sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time. You should be able to see the change in the color and texture of the mixture.
• Add the eggs two at a time, mixing until well combined after each. Add the vanilla extract with the second round of eggs. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined.
• Add the buttermilk and mix until well combined.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
• Divide the batter evenly between 6 bowls. It should be a little more than a cup per bowl.
• Add gel icing color to the bowls (one color per bowl) and gently fold until the color is mixed throughout. You should have one bowl each of purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
• Add the colored cake batter to the cake pans. Starting with the purple batter, add spoonfuls of batter around the bottom of the pan. Divide each color evenly between the three pans. Give the pan a little side-to-side shake to distribute the batter around a bit between each color. After the purple, add the blue, then green, then yellow, then orange and finally red.
• Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, add the butter and shortening to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
• Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until well combined.
• Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add additional water or milk as needed to get the right consistency.
• To put the cake together, first remove the domes from the top of the cakes so they are level.
• Place the first layer of cake on a cake plate or cardboard cake circle, then top it with about 1 cup of frosting and spread into an even layer.
• Add the second layer of cake another layer of frosting.
• Add the final layer of cake on top, the frost the outside of the cake. Feel free to use my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake, if you like.
• Divide the remaining frosting between 6 bowls. I had about 1/3 cup of frosting per bowl, but you may have a little more or less, depending on how much you use to frost the cake.
• Use the gel icing colors to color each bowl of frosting, using one color per bowl.
• To make the rainbow swirl frosting border, add each color of frosting to a ziplock bag. Lay a piece of clear wrap out on the table. Trim the corner off of each ziplock bag. Pipe a thick row of each color of frosting in this order - purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red - side-by-side onto the clear wrap.
• Fold the clear wrap over into a long log (see photos above for guidance). Twist one end closed and trim the other end, if needed, so that the frosting is right at the end.
• Put the log into a piping bag with the open end of the log going into the piping tip. I used piping tip Ateco 849.
• Begin piping shells of frosting around the top edge of the cake. After each shell is piped, turn the piping bag just a little bit before piping the next shell. As you continue piping and turning the piping bag, you'll get a rainbow that rotates around so you see all the colors.
• To pipe shells around the bottom of the cake, create another log of rainbow frosting, add it to the piping bag and pipe shells around the bottom in the cake manner - turning the bag slightly after each shell.
• Store cake in an airtight container until ready to serve. Cake is best for 2-3 days.

RAINBOW BUTTERFLY CAKE WITH CLOUD BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C). Grease both the bottom and sides of 3 (9-inch) round pans. Cut 3 (9-inch) circles out of parchment paper and cover bottom of each pan. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, yogurt, oil, and eggs. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds and then on medium for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Divide batter into 6 small bowls (about 1-1/2 cups into each small bowl). Mix 1 tablespoon of lemonade powder and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract into one of these divided batter batches and add a bit of pink icing gel until obtaining a bright pink. Set aside.
• Pour 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract into each of the other 5 small bowls and stir to combine. Mix in the following icing gel colors to color each batter individually: Bright blue, yellow, violet, orange, and green.
• See photo of the gel food coloring colors that we used.
• Using an ice cream scooper or small cups, divide each of the six colored batters into the 3 prepared baking pans, first pouring one color into the center of the pan, and then sequentially pouring the next color into the center of the pan on top of the first, and so on, in a concentric bullseye pattern. Bake for about 36 - 42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover each pan loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil after half of the baking time has elapsed, in order to avoid browning of the top of the cake layer.
• Remove pans from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely. Remove each of the 3 cake layers carefully from their pans, as well as from the parchment paper on the bottom. Assemble the layers of the rainbow butterfly cake, frosting between each layer with the buttercream and then frosting the top and sides of the cake (For the second layer of frosting, spread the frosting in swirls to make a cloud effect). Decorate as desired, and serve with a scoop of ice cream.

BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW BUTTERFLY CAKE

Steps:

• Divide Creamy White Frosting evenly among three medium bowls. Add a toothpick tip's worth of pink gel food coloring to frosting in one bowl; stir until frosting is evenly tinted. Repeat with the remaining two bowls of frosting, tinting one with sky blue food coloring and the other with lemon yellow food coloring.
• Place a decorating bag fitted with a large open star tip (such as Wilton brand #1M) into a tall wide-mouth container (this holds the decorating bag in place while you fill it with frosting). Using a long metal spatula, scoop up the pink frosting and carefully transfer it to the decorating bag, spreading the frosting from bottom to top in a strip that covers about one-third of the inside of the bag. Wash and thoroughly dry the metal spatula. Repeat with the blue frosting and then the yellow frosting, being careful not to mix the colors. (The decorating bag will have three strips of frosting side by side. These colors complement each other so if they run together some, they'll form a pretty rainbow.) Pipe the frosting onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper just until all three colors start to pipe, giving the rainbow effect.
• To pipe a rainbow rosette, hold the decorating bag perpendicular to cupcake top with the decorating tip barely touching the center of the cupcake. Pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcake, moving decorating tip in a counterclockwise motion from the center to the outer edge. Repeat to pipe rosettes on all remaining cupcakes.
• For the face, roll the pink fondant according to package directions to a 3-inch-diameter circle. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out a circle; place the circle on top of one of the frosted 2-1/2-inch cupcakes, pressing gently into frosting. Divide the black fondant into five pieces. Roll each of the pieces between your fingers into a ball. For the antennae, attach a black fondant ball to two of the wooden toothpicks. Position the antennae at the top of the face, gently pushing toothpicks into the cupcake. For eyes, position two more of the black fondant balls on the face (slightly moisten the underside of each eye so it will stick to the face). For the mouth, roll the remaining black fondant ball between your fingers into a thin rope; slightly moisten the underside of the rope and position it on the face.
• To assemble the butterfly, arrange the five larger cupcakes in a vertical line in the center of your serving table, platter, or cake board, placing the head cupcake at the top of the line. Arrange the smaller cupcakes into arched or triangular wing shapes (see photo), using 18 cupcakes for each wing. (You want the wings to mirror each other, so rearrange the cupcakes until you find a shape you like.)
• If desired, sprinkle confetti or paper shapes around the butterfly. Creamy White Frosting
• In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough of the remaining milk to reach spreading consistency. Decorating bag Large open star tip (such as Wilton brand #1M) Tall wide-mouth container (such as an empty 32-ounce yogurt container) Long metal spatula 2-inch round cookie cutter

RAINBOW LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among 6 small bowls, about 1 1/3 cups each.
• Using food colors, tint batter in 1 bowl blue, 1 bowl red, 1 bowl green, 1 bowl yellow, 1 bowl orange (using red and yellow) and 1 bowl purple (using blue and red).
• Refrigerate 3 colors of batter until ready to bake. Pour remaining 3 colors of batter into cake pans.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center and begins to pull away from side of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks; cool completely.
• Wash cake pans. Bake and cool remaining 3 cake layers as directed.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light yellow. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until frosting is smooth. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
• Trim rounded tops off cakes to level, if needed. On serving plate, place purple cake layer. Spread with frosting to within 1/4 inch of edge. Repeat with blue, green, yellow, orange and red cake layers. Spread light coat of frosting on top and side of cake to seal in crumbs, then frost with remaining frosting.

BUTTERFLY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of two 8- or 9-inch round pans. Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds. Wrap and freeze 1 layer for later use. Freeze remaining layer 45 minutes before cutting to reduce crumbs.
• Cut off rounded top of cake to make flat surface; place cake cut side down. Cut cake in half crosswise; cut each half into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces (as shown in diagram). Place cake pieces on platter to form butterfly. Gently separate cake pieces to form wings.
• Reserve 1/2 cup frosting; set aside. Spread top and sides of cake with thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting. Frost cake with remaining frosting. Place candy stick between cake pieces for butterfly body.
• Stir food color into reserved frosting until well blended. Spread over cake in desired pattern on wings. Outline wing patterns with gel. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Place jelly beans on corners of wings. Decorate butterfly with candy decorations. Store loosely covered.

RAINBOW PETAL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350° F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into pans.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light yellow. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until frosting is smooth. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
• Place 3 cups frosting in separate bowl; stir in pink food color. Divide remaining frosting (about 1 cup for each color) among 5 bowls; tint with remaining food colors. Trim rounded tops off cakes to level, if needed. On serving plate, place 1 cake layer. Spread with pink frosting to within 1/4 inch of edge. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Spread thin layer of frosting on top and side of cake to seal in crumbs.
• Spoon 1 color frosting into decorating bag fitted with #12 tip. Pipe row of straight dots on cake from top to bottom. Gently spread each dot with offset pastry knife, cleaning knife after each time. Repeat with remaining colors of frosting. Create another row of dots where frosting ends and spread each dot with knife. Repeat until whole cake is finished. When scallops end, add final row of dots to "seal" the seam. Pipe top of cake with one dot at a time; spread and then pipe again, creating a concentric circle.

EASY SIX-LAYER RAINBOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease six 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Beat 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, milk, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Divide cake batter evenly between 6 bowls. Mix in different food coloring to each bowl, creating 6 different colored batters. Start with just 1 to 2 drops of food coloring in each bowl, then mix; you can always add more.
• Bake each cake in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir together confectioners' sugar and mascarpone cheese in a separate bowl, then fold gently into the whipped cream until smooth.
• Spread frosting on each layer of cooled cake, placing one on top of the other. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.