Candy Rainbow Cakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 8-inch layer cake
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line four 8-inch cake pans with parchment circles, and spray the pans well with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Prepare the cake mixes according to the package directions, and divide the batter evenly between the four cake pans. (Each box of cake mix will make enough batter for 2 pans.) Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
  3. Cool the cakes completely before proceeding. When you're ready to assemble the cake, slice the rounded tops off of the cakes so that they are reasonably flat on top. No need to be perfect, but assembly will be easier if you're working with mostly flat cakes.
  4. Set aside about ⅔ cup of white frosting and reserve it for a later use. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to the remaining frosting, and stir and adjust the coloring until you get a nice sky blue color.
  5. Place a cake round on a cardboard cake circle. Top it with about a cup of blue frosting, and spread the frosting out to the edges of the cake. Add a second layer, and continue layering cake and frosting until you have four layers of cake.
  6. Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake. This is called a "crumb coat" and the purpose is to trap any crumbs so that they don't get mixed into the frosting and make it lumpy. Refrigerate the cake until the crumb coat starts to get firm, about 20-30 minutes.
  7. Spread a thicker layer of frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. I like to use a metal offset spatula to scrape the frosting smooth. It doesn't have to be perfect, however, since we're going for an organic clouds-in-the-sky look. You can even embrace a more textured finish if you have trouble smoothing out the frosting!
  8. Take some of the reserved white frosting and smear random smudges of white on the top and sides of the cake. Run a spatula around the cake a few times, to smooth the white into the blue frosting and give it a hazy, cloudy appearance. Transfer the cake to your serving platter or cake stand.
  9. If you're using a candy kettle in your cake design, cut it in half with a sharp serrated knife. Press one half into the side of the cake, at the bottom.
  10. Separate the M&Ms by color. Press the M&Ms into the side of the cake in a rainbow shape and pattern. Have it begin at the lip of the candy kettle (if you're using one) and arc to the bottom of the cake.
  11. Transfer the remaining white frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, or put it in a plastic bag with a hole snipped in the corner. Pipe big, fluffy swoops of frosting clouds at the base of the rainbow.
  12. Finally, fill the candy kettle with gold candies. If you're not using a kettle, then just pile them at the bottom of the rainbow. Your cake is now ready to serve!
Recipe by Oh Nuts Blog at https://www.ohnuts.com/blog/candy-rainbow-cake/