Rainbow Swirl Cake with Fondant Polka Dots (One Pan Method)
This truly easy-to-make one-pan rainbow swirl cake is topped with vibrantly colored fondant polka dots for a fun cake anyone can make! No matter where you take this cake, it is always a crowd-pleasing favorite with its bright colors and fantastic flavors!
Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with butter or non-stick baking spray.
Mix, Color & Bake
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of you stand mixer, measure out your dry ingredients and add them (all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) then mix them together.
Add the milk, melted butter, eggs, and extracts (vanilla and almond extract combo, or use vanilla) then mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl.
Once the batter is combined, divide the batter into 6 equal portions. You can use more or less colors, and whatever colors you want. Color each portion a different color and mix until well combined.
Layer the colors in your prepared 8-inch cake pans by adding a spoonful of each different color in the center (the colors will spread and push out to form the rainbow layers). Repeat until all of the cake batter is portioned out.
Bake centered on your oven's middle rack for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick, knife, or cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Remove the baked rainbow cakes from the pans and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Assembling the Rainbow Swirl Cake + Adding Fondant Polka Dots
Mix the buttercream frosting and make your fondant. Split your fondant batch to add colors. Wrap the fondant tightly and securely until (and between) ready to use.
Level both cake rounds then put a small spread of buttercream beneath the center of where your cake will sit (to hold it in place). Place the first cake layer on your serving plate or a turntable.
Pipe buttercream around the outside edge of the cake. From here you can continue to add buttercream to make an even layer of white buttercream in the center of your cake, or fill with a flavored filling of your choice.
Set the second cake round on top and even it out until it is securely in place. Frost the sides and tops, leaving a thin ¼ inch layer. Place in the fridge before covering with fondant.
Roll out your fondant into a round big enough to cover the 8-inch cake (16-inches wide, and ¼ inch thick). Drape over the top of the cake and smooth toward the base.
Use water to apply your cut out polka dots to the fondant covering. Allow to dry while you apply any other desired trim or decorations.
Store your fondant covered cake at room temperature (as long as it hasn't been filled with fruit or dairy fillings that could spoil).
Video
Notes
I like to use clear vanilla extract when coloring cakes. You can find it in the party and cake supplies section of WalMart, at Hobby Lobby, and Michael's craft stores.
Gel food coloring is easier to work with when coloring cake batter, icing, and frosting and is also easy to find at the locations mentioned above.
It's easier to decorate your cake after chilling the cake layers. My preferred method is to wrap the layers in cling film and chill before applying the crumb coat.