Jane Beedle's rainbow cake recipe

We've found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ... Jane Beedle's extraordinary rainbow cake is almost too beautiful to eat, but far too delicious to leave untouched!

This cake is not only fun to make, it's method is much easier than it looks. All of the decorations are shop bought and available in the high street. Change the colours, change the decoration, sprinkle with edible glitter, customise it to make it your own. It truly is a creation you can be proud of!

Serves 12 or morePrep: 90 minutesCook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:For the sponges:400g caster sugar400g salted butter, softened450 self raising flour3 tsp baking powder6 large eggs3 tsp vanilla extract5 different gel food colours of your choice (Jane used used grape violet, poppy red, turquoise, egg yellow and party green)Vanilla frosting:5 x 400g shop bought vanilla frosting (or see recipe below for homemade Swiss buttercream if you prefer)Gel pink and blue food colouringChocolate drip icing:100ml double cream100g plain chocolateKnob of butterDecoration:Jane used the selection below, be creative and decorate with your favourite treats(All store bought from the high street) Mini meringues Mini lemon meringues Pink wrapped soft caramels Pink fruit crumbles Chocolate lollipops Multi-coloured sprinklesEquipment:5 x 19cm sandwich sponge tins, piping bags and star nozzle, 22cm cake board

Method:1. Grease and base line 5 x 19cm sponge tins.2. Preheat oven to 160C/Gas 3.3. For the sponge: Place the caster sugar, butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla extract in a food mixer and whisk on high until combined. Add a couple of tablespoons of hot water to the mix to loosen it.4. Divide the mixture into 5 bowls and add colour to each creating 5 vibrant cake mixtures.5. Spoon each colour individually into each sponge tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. You may need to turn them round in the oven and switch shelves to get an even bake.6. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.7. To assemble the cake: Place a spoonful of vanilla frosting on the cake board to stick the first cake. Spread generously with some of the vanilla frosting, top with a second cake and repeat until you have a stack of 5 cakes sandwiched with frosting and finishing with a cake. You may need to trim the cakes if they have domed too much. · 8. Use a spatula to give the whole cake a crumb coat of vanilla frosting, i.e. a thin covering of frosting to trap any crumbs before you put on a top coat. Chill in the fridge.9. Coat the whole cake again with vanilla frosting, trying to get it as smooth as possible. A metal spatula dipped in hot water will help with the final finish. Chill in the fridge.10. Divide the remaining vanilla frosting between two separate bowls. Remove a little of the frosting into another bowl before colouring one of the bowls of frosting pale pink and the other pale blue.11. Add spoonfuls of pink, blue and the uncoloured vanilla frosting around the cake, then run a metal spatula or bench scraper around to smooth the sides. First clockwise then anti-clockwise, this stops the colours travelling too far. Smooth off as best you can, wipe round the base of the cake board and chill.12. For the chocolate drip: Heat the cream until just boiling. Leave for a minute then pour over the broken up chocolate and butter. Leave a minute then stir until smooth and not too runny. Spoon the chocolate mixture to a piping bag and pipe a rim of chocolate around the top edge of the cake and encouraging it to drip down the cake. Alternatively, you can cover the whole of the top of the cake with chocolate if you prefer, and let it drip down, the choice is yours.13. To decorate: Use any leftover frosting, including the mixed colours to pipe rosette or stars around the top and bottom of the cake. Fill the centre with extra icing and completely cover with sweets, lollipops and meringues, add some sprinkles and step back and admire.

Note: If you do not want to use shop bought vanilla frosting and you have time make your own Swiss buttercream – using a stand mixer makes it easier. This is a delicious buttercream, not too sweet, but it is time consuming to make but well worth it! Or, there is also a recipe for American buttercream below.

Swiss Buttercream:

Ingredients:1.2kg caster sugar12 large egg whites (store the yolks covered in water in the fridge and use in custard or quiches) 675g unsalted butter, at room temperature 4 tsp vanilla extract

Method:1. Place the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and stir constantly. Bring the mixture up to 160F or 71C. If you do not have a sugar thermometer heat the mixture until all the sugar has dissolved completely, carefully place a little between your fingers, if it is still grainy keep heating.2. Transfer into the bowl of a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat until completely cold. (This takes a while so find another job to do or make a cup of tea!)3. When cold, add the soft butter a spoonful at a time and beat well until all incorporated. If it goes a little runny you may not have cooled your meringue enough, keep going it will eventually come together.4. Switch to a paddle beater, add vanilla and beat on slow speed to remove as much of the air as possible and your frosting is smooth. You can use it straight away.5. If you make the frosting ahead of time cover and store in the fridge, you will need to bring it back to room temperature and beat again before using.6. Or if you prefer American frosting:7. Beat 650g soft butter and gradually beat in 1.3 kg icing sugar and vanilla extract to taste. Beware the icing cloud!

TIPS:

Do not use liquid colours to colour the sponges or icing as they will be too runny. Gel colours are available in most supermarkets, online and in cake specialist shops.

If you do not have 5 cake tins, you can still make this cake. Just bake in batches, although remember that cake batter is best baked soon after mixing, so it may not give the best results.

Get the recipe for Jane's gluten-free raspberry and almond roulade