I sometimes try to be Super Mom.  But with working full-time, I sometimes have to outsource.  I called my BFF Stacey the weekend before Angry Kid’s birthday party, and asked a favor.  This was not a small favor, but a relatively huge favor.  I asked her if she could make a rainbow layered birthday cake for Angry Kid’s party.  For some crazy reason, she agreed to do it.  I had almost all of the supplies (well colors for the cake), and I took them all over to her house.  While I was there, I may have borrowed two large tables and some chairs too.

I also forgot to mention the fact that she’s NEVER made this cake before.  I sent her some photos from the Internet.

Doesn’t the cake look delicious? I took this photo right after Stacey cut the first slice at the birthday party.

Stacey is also a smart BFF.  She knew that I would probably want to post a tutorial of some kind on my blog.  So she took photos along the way, and even typed up some tips for making the FAMOUS rainbow cake, well these cakes are sorta famous on Pinterest and parenting blogs.

Six (6) Layer Rainbow Cake Tutorial:

1.  MIX-Make TWO (2) packages of white cake mix.  Stacey used the stock ingredients.  I add some extra items for my rainbow cupcake recipe, and they are listed in my blog post. Either recipe is fine, as in straight out of box, or added items.

2.  DIVIDE-Divide the prepared cake mix into SIX (6) bowls equally, which equates to about 1 and 1/2 cups of batter per bowl.

3.  COLOR-Color the batter in each bowl different colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple).  Stacey used a combination of Duff Brand Color Gels, and Wilton Icing Colors.  I had both of these brands in the box that I gave to Stacey.  Stacey preferred the Duff brand because they were in a squeezable bottle.

4.  PREP and GREASE-Prep the (6) cake pans for baking.  Stacey used Pam with Flour spray to coat the pans.  She HIGHLY recommends it.  You don’t have to bake all (6) seperate layers at once.  You can do a few at a time, and wait for them to cool, then bake more.

5.  BAKE-Bake the cake layers according to the directions on the cake mix box.

6.  COOL-Let the cakes cool.

7.  CUT-Once the cakes are cooled, cut the rounded dome off the top of the cake.  They need to lie flat, due to the layers. (IMPORTANT)

8.  PRE-MADE BUTTERCREAM-Stacey pre-made a crap load of buttercream.  I’m not sure of there is a definition for the specific amount that crap load indicates.  Stacey uses THIS buttercream recipe which works like a charm every single time.

9.  PREP BUTTERCREAM LAYERS-Stacey made thin layers of a frozen buttercream transfer the day before to speed up her assembly process.  She traced the bottom of the cake pan on a piece of wax paper.  She did this because she knew that the cake layers would be relatively thin, and prepping/freezing the buttercream would help the cake from crumbling.

10. STACK-Stack the layers, cake-buttercream-cake-buttercream, alternating obviously.

11. HEIGHT-After assembling the cake, it should be approximately SEVEN (7) inches tall.  It will FALL over if you don’t put dowels in it.  Stacey learned from a friend that you can use straws in lieu of dowels.  The straws are easier to trim that dowels too.

12. TRIM-Trim the excess from the straws that are holding the layers together.

13. FROST/ICING-Stacey did a “crumb coat” of frosting before she brought the cake to my house.  She transported this cake for an approximate thirty minute drive.  When she arrived at my house, we placed the cake in the freezer for approximately TEN (10) minutes.  After the “crumb coat” had hardened a little, she then completed the frosting/icing of the cake.  By doing a crumb coat and freezing it, the cake is easier to frost.

14. DECORATE-Place cake on cake plate or other serving platter.  Finish off cake but placing decorative trim around the bottom, or other decorations on top of the cake.  I made my own rainbow cake bunting with felt.

15. ENJOY CAKE-Take pictures of the finished cake, like tons.  I’m a blogger, did you think I was talking about eating the cake?  Once the cake is cut and eaten, depression starts.  The cake was sooo awesome.

16. TAKE MORE PICTURES-There’s only one piece of cake left? Well of course, you need to document that. Take more pictures, post them EVERYWHERE!

Now how am I going to pay my BFF Stacey back? I owe her big time!!! It is probably a good thing that she likes to bake!