Six-Layer Rainbow Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Vibrant six-layer sponge cake with alternating colors, stacked with cream cheese and ricotta frosting, topped with whipped cream, coconut flour, and sugar paste rainbow and cloud decorations. Each layer bakes separately then assembles into a dramatic striped dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 5 teaspoons baking powder, ---
- 1 pinch salt, ---
- 19 tbsp butter, softened
- 3 cups sugar, granulated
- 6 --- egg whites, ---whole eggs1.2x volumeFull guide →
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk, ---
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ---
- 2 cups cream cheese, ---mascarpone1x volumesimilar richnessFull guide →
- 1 cups ricotta cheese, ---Greek yogurt1x volumetangier flavorFull guide →
- 2 cups heavy cream, coldevaporated milk1x volumeless richnessFull guide →
- ⅓ cups powdered sugar, ---
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ---
- 1 cups heavy cream, whippedevaporated milk1x volumeless richnessFull guide →
- ½ cups coconut flour, ---
- food coloring, six colors
- sugar paste decorations, rainbow, clouds, letters, balls
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F
- 2
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl
- 3
In a larger bowl, work softened butter with sugar until combined
- 4
Add egg whites and vanilla extract, beating until creamy
- 5
Alternate adding flour and milk in 2 or 3 additions, stirring until batter is fluid and homogeneous
- 6
Divide batter equally into 6 bowls and add food coloring to each for the six rainbow colors
- 7
Stir each colored batter with separate spoons
- 8
Butter and flour two 9 ½" round cake pans, divide first two colored batters between them
- 9
Bake for 15 minutes, remove from pans onto parchment paper
- 10
Repeat buttering and flouring pans, bake second pair of colors, then final pair, stacking each cooled layer with parchment between them
- 11
Cool completely
- 12
Whip well-chilled heavy cream until stiff peaks form
- 13
Work ricotta and cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth
- 14
Gently fold whipped cream into cheese mixture
- 15
Place first cake layer on serving plate, spread with frosting, stack next layer and repeat with each color
- 16
Coat entire cake with thin layer of frosting, chill at least 1 hour
- 17
Glaze cake with whipped cream or buttercream frosting, dust with coconut flour
- 18
Arrange colored sugar paste balls around bottom edge, pressing into frosting
- 19
Place sugar paste letters on top surface
- 20
Insert rainbow decoration and position cloud decorations for stability
- 21
Slice and serve
Tips
Use two 24 cm round pans without springform latches and bake colors in batches to create distinct layers
Chill cream cheese mixture before folding in whipped cream to maintain structure
Prepare sugar paste decorations at least 3 days ahead to allow drying time
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered up to 2 days. Unfrosted cake layers freeze up to 1 month.
Prepare sugar paste decorations 3 days ahead. Assemble cake up to 1 day prior, frost and decorate day of serving.
Slice with a warm, clean knife. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Common Mistakes
Do not use springform pans or cake will collapse during stacking
Do not skip chilling between assembly steps to prevent frosting from breaking
Do not omit parchment between layers to prevent sticking during stacking
Do not skip the 1-hour chill after frosting to allow crumb coat to set