1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Rainbow Marble Cake

Rainbow Marble Cake

By: Casey Updated on Mon, 05 May 2025 20:02:24 GMT Irresistible Desserts
Pin it Share it Send it Print it Jump To Recipe
Casey, recipe creator at Cooking with Casey
By Casey

Casey shares simple, delicious recipes and inspiring stories, making cooking fun and accessible for all.

Updated on Mon, 05 May 2025 20:02:24 GMT

Read it →
Bright Marble Cake Pin it
Bright Marble Cake

A Colorful Swirl Cake is sure to wow at any gathering. The eye-catching blend of colors inside paired with smooth homemade vanilla buttercream outside makes this dessert both beautiful and tasty. It's just right for birthdays, pride celebrations, or whenever you want something extra special on your table.

INGREDIENTS
  • All-purpose flour: 3 cups
  • Granulated sugar: 3 cups
  • Baking powder: 2 1/2 tsp
  • Salt: 1 tsp
  • Unsalted butter: 1 cup, softened
  • Vanilla extract: 2 tsp for cake, 1 1/2 Tbsp for frosting
  • Egg whites: 1 cup (roughly 7 egg whites)
  • Buttermilk: 1 1/2 cups, softened
  • Vegetable oil: 1/8 cup
  • Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
  • Butter: 3 cups, softened for frosting
  • Powdered sugar: 11 cups
  • Heavy cream: 1/3 cup
  • Salt: 1 tsp for frosting
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Get three 8-inch round cake pans ready by putting parchment paper on the bottoms and greasing the sides.
Step 2:
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in your stand mixer. Slowly put in the butter until the mix looks crumbly. Add egg whites and buttermilk next, then mix in vanilla extract and oil. Stir just until everything's combined, then beat for 30 seconds on medium.
Step 3:
Split the batter equally into six bowls. Add a different gel food color to each bowl. Drop spoonfuls of different colors into your pans and use a knife to swirl them together for that marble look.
Step 4:
Pop the cakes in the oven for 34-37 minutes. They're done when a toothpick comes out clean from the middle. Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then put them in the freezer for 45 minutes to firm them up.
Step 5:
To make the buttercream, whip the butter for 30 seconds. Then mix in powdered sugar bit by bit, adding cream between additions. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Make it thicker or thinner by adding more sugar or cream.
Step 6:
Build your cake by putting lots of buttercream between each layer. Cover it all with a thin layer first, chill it, then add another smooth layer. Color what's left of your frosting and make rainbow stripes on the cake with a piping tip.
Serving and Storage Tips
  • Always go for gel food colors to keep your batter and frosting the right texture while getting bright colors.
  • Keep your finished cake in the fridge if you're not eating it right away. Let it warm up before cutting slices.
Helpful Notes
  • Scoop and level your flour for the best cake texture. Don't mix too much or your cake might end up heavy. Just mix until everything's combined.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

  • For that bakery-quality finish, smooth your frosting with a bench scraper and use a spinning cake stand to make decorating easier.
Rainbow Marble Cake
Rainbow Marble Cake
2.98 from 237 votes

Rainbow Marble Cake

Prep Time:
15 Minutes
Cook Time:
35 Minutes
Total Time:
50 Minutes
Servings:
12
Bright Marble Cake
Rate recipe Print it Pin it Send it

A beautiful cake with lively swirls and creamy vanilla frosting. Great for fun gatherings like birthdays or pride celebrations!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups white sugar.
  • 3 cups plain flour.
  • 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder.
  • 1 tsp table salt.
  • 1 cup room-temperature butter (2 sticks).
  • 2 tsp of vanilla.
  • Roughly 7 egg whites (1 cup).
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh buttermilk, at room temp.
  • 1/8 cup of neutral vegetable oil.
  • Food coloring gels: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
  • 3 cups room-temp butter for frosting.
  • 11 cups icing sugar for frosting.
  • 1 tsp fine salt for the frosting.
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream for frosting.
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp of vanilla for frosting.
  • Food coloring gels: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple (for frosting).

Instructions

1.

1. Preheat: Cake layers: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Prep three 8-inch pans with parchment paper at the base and grease the edges.

2.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Use a stand mixer with a paddle to blend sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss in the butter a bit at a time until it looks crumbly.

3.

3. Add Wet Ingredients: Mix egg whites on the lowest speed, then slowly pour in buttermilk. Stir in the oil and vanilla, blending gently before scraping the bowl. Beat for 30 seconds on medium.

4.

4. Color Batters: Spread the batter out into six bowls, tinting each one with a separate food color. Pour into pans and swirl the colors with a knife for a marbled look. For instance, one pan could have purple and blue shades.

5.

5. Bake: Bake for 34–37 minutes. Leave the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before freezing for about 45 minutes to tighten them up.

6.

6. Prepare Frosting: Buttercream: Beat 3 cups of butter for half a minute on medium. Slowly alternate adding powdered sugar and cream, letting the mix get fluffy.

7.

7. Mix Frosting: Blend in salt and vanilla to taste. Adjust it—you can thicken with sugar or smooth it with more cream. Set aside some white frosting before tinting.

8.

8. Assemble Cake: Use a sturdy cake board to layer the cake rounds, spreading frosting between them. Cover with a thin coat of frosting, then chill until set. Spread the final frosting layer and smooth it down.

9.

9. Decorate: Tint the reserved frosting in different colors. Use French tips to pipe vibrant rainbow stripes around the cake's edges.

Notes

  1. Gently scoop and level your flour to avoid measuring too much.
  2. Keep your ingredients at room temperature so they blend well.
  3. Pick gel food color; it gives bright colors without thinning the batter or icing.
  4. Popping the layers into the freezer briefly makes stacking them easier.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 700
  • Total Fat: 30 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 100 g
  • Protein: 5 g