Rainbow Layer Cake

Name: Rainbow Layer Cake
Prep time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 boxes Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Vanilla Cake Mix; Water, vegetable oil, and eggs called for on cake mix boxes; 2 boxes (2.7 oz each) Betty Crocker™ Classic Colors Gel Food Color; 1 cup shortening; 1 cup butter, softened; 1 bag (2 lb) powdered sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Ingredients:8
Servings:12

By Angie McGowanUpdated 05/04/2026

Rainbow Layer Cake

Ingredients:8
Servings:12

You’ll be proud to make and serve a cake that’s as much fun as this one. And you don't have to be a pastry chef to pull it off! Rainbow Layer Cake is surprisingly easy to create, thanks to a little help from Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Vanilla Cake Mix and Betty Crocker™ Classic Gel Food Colors.

More About This Recipe

As the classic children’s song says, “Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple Make the Rainbow Bright.” All the colors of that fabulous rainbow come together in a super-celebratory rainbow layer cake that’s perfect for any occasion. If you’ve been wondering how to make a rainbow cake, Betty is ready to walk you through all the steps. Rely on Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Vanilla Cake Mix and Betty Crocker™ Classic Gel Food Colors to streamline the baking process. Get ready for some major “oohs” and “aahs” when you cut into this full-spectrum masterpiece. And now that you’ve got rainbow cake mix mastered, you can find traditional favorites, quick-and-easy shortcuts and fun new twists in Betty’s Best Layer Cakes recipe collection.

Rainbow Layer Cake

Prep time:1 hr 5 min
Total time:3 hr 5 min
Ingredients:8
Servings:12
Calories per serving:990

Ingredient

Cake

2 boxes Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Vanilla Cake Mix
Water, vegetable oil, and eggs called for on cake mix boxes
2 boxes (2.7 oz each) Betty Crocker™ Classic Colors Gel Food Color

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter, softened
1 bag (2 lb) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Step 1
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray the bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.

Step 2
In a large bowl, beat 1 box cake mix, water, oil, and eggs called for on box, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among 3 small bowls. Using food colors, tint batter in 1 bowl blue, 1 bowl red, and 1 bowl green to desired shades.

Step 3
Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from the pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Step 4
Meanwhile, repeat with the second box of cake mix, water, oil, and eggs to make 3 more layers. Divide batter evenly among 3 small bowls. Using food colors, tint batter in 1 bowl yellow, 1 bowl orange (using red and yellow), and 1 bowl purple (using blue and red). Repeat baking and cooling.

Step 5
In a large bowl, beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.

Step 6
Trim off rounded tops of cake layers to level, if necessary. On a serving plate, place purple cake layer. Frost with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat with blue, green, yellow, orange, and red cake layers.

Step 7
Frost top and side of cake with a thin layer of frosting to form a crumb coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting on top and side of cake. Cut into slices to serve. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Recipe Tips

Be sure to cool cake pans completely, then wash, dry, and spray with cooking spray before baking the second cake mix.
If you only have two 8-inch cake pans for this Rainbow Layer Cake recipe, bake the cakes in three batches instead.
To make sure cake layers bake up level, be sure to evenly divide the batter between the bowls when coloring.
Using half shortening and half butter for the buttercream frosting ensures that it will stay firm enough at room temperature.
Ever wondered how to make a Rainbow Layer Cake without having to fuss over the layers? For guaranteed easy unmolding, line each pan with parchment paper. Set one of the pans on the paper and trace a circle around the base with the tip of a sharp paring knife to create a round that fits inside the pan; repeat to make enough for all the layers.
To give your Rainbow Layer Cake a deeper red color, add a teaspoon or two of unsweetened baking cocoa to the red batter.
Make this Rainbow Layer Cake a party dessert and switch up the colored layers as requested by the birthday girl or boy.

Nutrition Facts

Calories
990
Total Fat
49g
Protein
6g
Total Carbohydrate
131g
Sugars
102g

Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Amount Per Serving Calories : 990

Nutrition Facts
Food Component / Nutrient	Amount	% , Daily Value*
Total Fat	49g	75%
Saturated Fat	17g	87%
Trans Fat	1g	% Value Not Available
Monounsaturated Fat	12g	% Value Not Available
Polyunsaturated Fat	16g	% Value Not Available
Omega-3	2g	% Value Not Available
Cholesterol	135mg	45%
Sodium	520mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate	131g	44%
Dietary Fiber	0g	0%
Soluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Insoluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Sugars	102g	% Value Not Available
Protein	6g	% Value Not Available
Vitamin D	Value Not Available	6%
Calcium	Value Not Available	15%
Iron	Value Not Available	10%
Potassium	45mg	1%
Vitamin A	Value Not Available	10%
Vitamin C	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin E	Value Not Available	30%
Thiamin	Value Not Available	0%
Riboflavin	Value Not Available	10%
Niacin	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin B6	Value Not Available	0%
Folic Acid	Value Not Available	2%
Vitamin B12	Value Not Available	6%
Pantothenic Acid	Value Not Available	4%
Phosphorus	Value Not Available	6%
Magnesium	Value Not Available	0%
Zinc	Value Not Available	2%
Manganese	Value Not Available	0%
Selenium	Value Not Available	20%
Copper	Value Not Available	0%
Beta-Carotene	Value Not Available	% Value Not Available
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Exchanges

Starch 1,
Fruit 0,
Other Carbohydrate 7&½,
Skim Milk 0,
Low-Fat Milk 0,
Milk 0,
Vegetable 0,
Very Lean Meat 0,
Lean Meat 0,
Medium-Fat Meat ½,
High-Fat Meat 0,
Fat 9,
Fruits 0c,
Vegetables 0c,
Grains 0oz-eq,
Meat & Beans 1oz-eq,
Dairy 0c,
Fats & Oils 11tsp

Carbohydrate Choice

Carbohydrate Choice9

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More About This Recipe

Recipe Tips

Be sure to cool cake pans completely, then wash, dry, and spray with cooking spray before baking the second cake mix.

If you only have two 8-inch cake pans for this Rainbow Layer Cake recipe, bake the cakes in three batches instead.

To make sure cake layers bake up level, be sure to evenly divide the batter between the bowls when coloring.

Using half shortening and half butter for the buttercream frosting ensures that it will stay firm enough at room temperature.

Ever wondered how to make a Rainbow Layer Cake without having to fuss over the layers? For guaranteed easy unmolding, line each pan with parchment paper. Set one of the pans on the paper and trace a circle around the base with the tip of a sharp paring knife to create a round that fits inside the pan; repeat to make enough for all the layers.

To give your Rainbow Layer Cake a deeper red color, add a teaspoon or two of unsweetened baking cocoa to the red batter.

Make this Rainbow Layer Cake a party dessert and switch up the colored layers as requested by the birthday girl or boy.

Nutrition Facts

Food Component / Nutrient

Amount

% , Daily Value*

Total Fat

49g

75%

Saturated Fat

17g

87%

Trans Fat

% Value Not Available

Monounsaturated Fat

12g

% Value Not Available

Polyunsaturated Fat

16g

% Value Not Available

Omega-3

% Value Not Available

Cholesterol

135mg

45%

Sodium

520mg

22%

Total Carbohydrate

131g

44%

Dietary Fiber

Soluble Fiber

% Value Not Available

Insoluble Fiber

% Value Not Available

Sugars

102g

% Value Not Available

Protein

% Value Not Available

Vitamin D

Value Not Available

Calcium

Value Not Available

15%

Iron

Value Not Available

10%

Potassium

45mg

Vitamin A

Value Not Available

10%

Vitamin C

Value Not Available

Vitamin E

Value Not Available

30%

Thiamin

Value Not Available

Riboflavin

Value Not Available

10%

Niacin

Value Not Available

Vitamin B6

Value Not Available

Folic Acid

Value Not Available

Vitamin B12

Value Not Available

Pantothenic Acid

Value Not Available

Phosphorus

Value Not Available

Magnesium

Value Not Available

Zinc

Value Not Available

Manganese

Value Not Available

Selenium

Value Not Available

20%

Copper

Value Not Available

Beta-Carotene

Value Not Available

% Value Not Available

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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Rainbow Layer Cake

Rainbow Layer Cake

More About This Recipe

Rainbow Layer Cake

Ingredient