Rainbow Cake is a vintage recipe that is a family favorite. Jello cakes are light, refreshing and not heavy, perfect for hot summer parties.
I don’t remember my Mom ever making any other cake for me for my birthday! I think there is picture of me in a high chair with chocolate cake all over my face, although I don’t remember! The only cake I ever remember her making is this Rainbow Cake!
It is really quite an easy recipe, but takes a bit of time and patience. Mostly just waiting for the jello to harder in every layer.
What is Jello?
Although not health food, by any means, jello has a fruity, light flavor that is unbeatable!
Jello is gluten and dairy free. It does contain quite a bit of sugar, so if you are watching your sugar, you will probably want to steer clear.
This cake is perfect for a kids rainbow themed parties or for any special occasion.
(For all of my readers outside of the US, Jell-o is a brand name of a gelatin that Americans are so familiar with, we just refer to it as Jello. 🙂 It is a sweet and fruity dessert gelatin.)
What you need
- Angel food cake, homemade or store bought – you can also use a boxed cake mix. Follow directions on package. Bake. Be sure to place cake upside down on a wine bottle or something similar the minute you remove it from the oven. If you don’t, the cake will fall.
- raspberry or strawberry jell-o. The different flavors of jello aren’t critical. You just want the colors of the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.
- orange jello
- lemon jello
- lime jello
- blueberry jello or blue raspberry jello
- grape or black cherry jello
- Angel Food Cake Pan is required
How to Assemble Rainbow Cake
- Slice angel food cake, horizontally into 7 slices. Keep track of the order of the slices.
- Make red jello. Add hot water to the jello packet. Stir until all of the sugar has gone into solution. Add cold water. Refrigerate. Let set 40-60 minutes, until partially set. The easiest way to assemble it is to use the pan that you baked the cake in.
- Just before adding red jello to cake pan, make orange jello. Refrigerate.
- Once red jello is partially set, place the top slice of angel food cake into angel cake pan and top with red jello. Add the second slice of cake on top of red jello. Refrigerate.
- Again, just before adding the orange jello to the cake pan, make lemon jello.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the consecutive colors, lemon, lime, blueberry and grape.
- Place the last slice of cake on top of the grape or black cherry jello. Chill it in the fridge overnight, to make sure it’s fully set.
Serve with cool whip or whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Pro tips for success
- If your jello sets too much and your can not pour it on top of cake, you can reheat it and start the setting process again.
- Use a sharp serrated bread knife to cut the cake.
- The slices don’t have to be totally uniform but get them as close as you can.
- If you mess up a slice, start cutting from the other side of the cake, until you reach to spot where the first piece broke. Seal the pieces together with jello.
- Unless your refrigerator is set really cold, and hour in between the different colors usually works well, for timing making the jello. It gives the flavor that you just added to the cake some time to really set.
- Unmold cake by loosening up the edges by running a long knife around the inside of the pan. Then flip the cake pan upside down onto a large serving platter. Chill until dessert time.
- You could substitute the jello for envelopes of Knox unflavored gelatin. Then add coloring and flavoring to the gelatin.
The one thing that is a must for Rainbow Cake is to have an Angel Food Cake pan. The reason for this is because you build the cake, layer by layer, in the pan.
So just a fun post, today! I hope you enjoyed this Rainbow Cake recipe! Thanks for stopping by! Like and hit those share buttons and leave me a comment to let me know your favorite birthday cake! Here is Jake’s favorite cake, Perfectly Chocolate Cake! AND…. Thanks, Mom! 🙂
Enjoy! And have fun cooking!
Rainbow Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Store bought, boxed mixed or homemade Angel Food Cake
- 1 box strawberry jello
- 1 box orange jello
- 1 box lemon jello
- 1 box lime jello
- 1 box blueberry jello
- 1 box black cherry jello or grape
Instructions
- Mix strawberry jello according to package directions. Put in refrigerator just until thickened, about 1 1/2 hours.
- If using a homemade Angel Food Cake, the cake must be thoroughly cooled before you slice it.
- Slice cake horizontally as thin as you can, about 1/2" thick. (Don't panic if you break of the layers, you can just piece them together with the jello) Lay first layer, the top layer of the cake, back into your Angel food cake pan, cut side up.
- Mix orange jello about 1 hour after you refrigerated the strawberry jello. Then refrigerate that.
- Once the strawberry jello is thickened, spoon jello over the first layer of cake and return to refrigerator.
- Start the lemon jello about 1 hour after you started the lemon jello.
- When the orange jello is thickened, place the next layer of cake over top of the strawberry jello in the cake pan. Spoon orange jello over the second piece of cake and refrigerate.
- Continue the process for all of the colors. Lemon, Lime, Blueberry, Black Cherry.
- Hopefully, you will be out of cake, if not, you will have to remove the cherry jello from the refrigerator, you will be able to count how many pieces of cake you cut, to determine if you have to do this step.
- Obviously, do this cake the day before you need it!
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Nutrition
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Peggy Henson
My mom made this cake with only 3 to 4 layers. And frosted it with cool whip whipped cream. Decorated it with fruit to complement the Jello flavors.
Beth Neels
That’s a great idea and much easier than the 8-10 layers my Mom did. Thanks for checking out the recipe Peggy!
Elaine
How fun!! This cake looks so delicious and beautiful! I want a piece, like now!
Binky
It is so good! If I weren’t so lazy, I’d make it! Thanks, Elaine!
Valentina
Love that your mom makes you the same cake each year. Loving food traditions are the best! And how fun this cake is! 🙂
Binky
Food brings families together, doesn’t it? We all have recipes that we had as kids that are better than any one else’s version. Don’t we? Thanks Valentina!
Christine
I think it’s so nice you have a tradition with this birthday cake. It looks so delicious and love all the colors!
Binky
Family traditions are a great part of life, aren’t they? Thank you Christine!
Ali from Home & Plate
What a great Mom you have. Who wouldn’t love a cake baked by mom especially with all the different Jello flavors. I know my kids would love this. Happy Birthday!
Binky
Thank you Ali! Yes, my Mom is pretty special! All the kids love this cake! Even old kids, like me!
Lisa Bryan
Wow – how creative! Definitely the most vibrant rainbow cake I’ve ever seen!
Binky
Thank you, Lisa! All of the kids love it! I have seen them pick this over chocolate cake, if you can believe that!
Emily
What a great idea to use jelly in a cake, I’ve never thought of that before. It looks so impressive with all the different colours!
Binky
Haha, Emily! It’s gelatin! Perhaps I should clarify that for you folks across the pond! 🙂
Ginny
That must have been fun to experiment with. It turned out so festive and happy birthday!
Binky
Thanks, Ginny! It is so tasty! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s so pretty!
Binky
Thanks Allison! It is pretty, and tasty! Nice of you to comment!
Jagruti
Very decorative, I can see why you describe making this rainbow cake is a pain,at least if you can enjoy it then it’s all been worth it.
Binky
Well, it’s my favorite! It is pretty, isn’t it Jagruti? Thanks for your comment!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I can attest to having the same 4 food groups in college! This does seem like a time consuming endeavor — and I give you credit for having the patience of a saint. I don’t think I’ve got it!
Binky
Haha! I absolutely do not have the patience! My Mom does!:) Thanks, Lisa!