Rainbow Cake with Natural Dyes for the DailyBuzz Moms 9x9
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Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8+
 
Appreciate the natural beauty of colorful fruits and vegetables by making this Rainbow Cake with Natural Dyes.
Ingredients
Natural Dyes
  • 1-2 Tbsp beet juice* {I used the liquid in a can of beets.}
  • 1 Tbsp carrot juice
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tbsp spinach juice
  • 1+ Tbsp blueberry juice
  • 1+ Tbsp blackberry juice
White Cake {Courtesy of Cooking Light}
  • 3½ cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1½ Tbsp oil
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1⅔ cups milk, divided
  • ½ cup plain, fat-free yogurt
  • 2½ tsp vanilla
Buttercream Frosting
  • 3¾ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 Tbsp milk
Whipped Cream Frosting
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Natural Dyes
  1. Use the liquid in canned beets or juice beets in a juicer.* {I had good luck with the liquid from canned beets. One reader who used fresh beet juice from the juice commented that the color turned more brown when it cooked. She is trying it again adding salt and will let us know how it turns out.}
  2. Juice carrots in a juicer or buy carrot juice.
  3. Juice spinach in a juicer.
  4. Microwave roughly ¼ cup frozen blueberries in 30 second intervals until they start to burst, straining out 1+ Tbsp of blueberry juice.
  5. Microwave roughly ¼ cup frozen blackberries in 30 second intervals until they start to burst, straining out 1+ Tbsp of blackberry juice.
White Cake {Courtesy of Cooking Light}
  1. Cream the butter, oil and sugar.
  2. Add the egg whites and beat well.
  3. Add the vanilla, 1 cup milk and yogurt alternately with the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
  4. Pour six ½-cup portions of cake batter into separate bowls.
  5. Mix the natural dye into each bowl {2 Tbsp beet juice, 1½ Tbsp carrot juice, 1 egg yolk + 1 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp spinach juice, 1 Tbsp blueberry juice and 1 Tbsp blackberry juice, adjusting the color by using more or less dye}.
  6. Reserve the remaining batter for a different use. {You will either need to add roughly 4½ Tbsp milk to the remaining batter or the equivalent in natural dye.}
  7. Pour each ½ cup colored batter into a greased and floured 5½-inch cake pan.
  8. Bake the cakes for 10-15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Let the cakes cool for five minutes in the pan and then gently slide a knife around the edges and invert the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. {You could also make cupcakes by layering the colored batter into each lined cupcake tin.}
Buttercream Frosting
  1. Mix the ingredients and beat for several minutes until a smooth, creamy frosting forms.
  2. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or milk.
Whipped Cream Frosting
  1. Beat the cream, sugar and salt at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. Fold in the vanilla extract.
Rainbow Cake
  1. Assemble the cake once the layers have completely cooled.
  2. Place the purple layer on the serving cake platter.
  3. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of buttercream frosting over the top of the layer, smoothing it until it is even.
  4. Place the blue layer on top and repeat the process until the red layer is on top.
  5. Place the layered cake in the freezer for five minutes to let the icing set so that when you ice the exterior of the cake the layers won't slide around.
  6. Using a knife, generously coat the top and sides of the cake with buttercream frosting, smoothing it with a spatula or a table knife, making sure that it is completely covered but getting rid of excess frosting.
  7. Then spread the whipped cream frosting on top for a finishing coat, either spreading it smooth with a knife or spatula or pulling it into soft peaks using a knife or the back of a spoon.
  8. Serve the cake immediately.
Recipe by Itsy Bitsy Foodies at http://itsybitsyfoodies.com/rainbow-cake-with-natural-dyes-for-the-dailybuzz-moms-9x9/