Originally published on January 26, 2017
We had a birthday around these parts earlier this month! My older daughter turned 11. 11! How hard is that to believe? Well, probably not so much for you, but for us it just didn’t seem right. The whole time flying by, etc. etc. But I digress, because I’m actually not posting about how life is racing by before my very eyes. No. I wanted to talk to you about cake.
Birthday cake has been getting pretty crazy in this house. It all started one year ago, when I wanted to do a throwback Jelly Bean Cake that my grandma always made me as a kid. Then it continued on with a Cheesecake Stuffed into Chocolate Cake for my hubby. And when it was time once again for that same daughter to sit down to a special birthday cake, she came to me, complete with picture and all, telling me this was the cake she wanted this year. A Tie Dye Cake.
I wasn’t too worried about it at first. I mean, I handled that chocolate/cheesecake thing pretty well, and this one didn’t look much harder. But it is. That cake is so damned light that the first time I picked up a layer, it broke. Right in half. And I cursed. And then I started making another, smaller cake.
Smaller layers are important here; I ended up using a 6″ cake pan because the cake simply doesn’t have the ‘oomph’ needed to be picked up, placed down, and tinkered with, unless the cake is already quite small to begin with. So go small, and you shouldn’t run into any problems. The cake is super light, making it so, so yummy, and the decorating is a breeze. Especially if you cheat and by canned frosting, like I did.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon each flavored gelatin: lemon, orange, cherry, grape, lime, and blue raspberry
- 2 cups boiling water
For the decoration:
- 2 12-ounce cans whipped icing
- Colored decoration icing: yellow, orange, red, purple, green, blue
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly spray 2 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray (or lightly coat in oil).
2.) In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, water, oil, egg whites and vanilla on low speed using an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3.) Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let sit in pans for 10 – 15 minute before turning over onto wire racks to cool completely. Trim off the tops of the cakes to make a level surface.
4.) Place 1 tablespoon of each flavour of gelatin in separate small bowls. Stir 1/3 cup boiling water into each and stir until dissolved. On the trimmed sides of the cake, splash the different gelatin all over the cakes. Cover cakes separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
5.) Remove cakes from fridge. Unwrap and place 1 cake on plate or cake stand and spread with white icing evenly on top. Place the second cake on top and finish icing the cake, top and sides, with white icing. Randomly place big dollops of the colored decorated icing all over the iced cake. Using a small rubber spatula, swirl the dollops together to create a tie-dye/rainbow effect on the cake.
6.) Serve and enjoy!
.
Smaller layers are important here; I ended up using a 6″ cake pan because the cake simply doesn’t have the ‘oomph’ needed to be picked up, placed down, and tinkered with, unless the cake is already quite small to begin with. So go small, and you shouldn’t run into any problems. The cake is super light, making it so, so yummy, and the decorating is a breeze. Especially if you cheat and by canned frosting, like I did.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon each flavored gelatin: lemon, orange, cherry, grape, lime, and blue raspberry
- 2 cups boiling water
For the decoration:
- 2 12-ounce cans whipped icing
- Colored decoration icing: yellow, orange, red, purple, green, blue
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly spray 2 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray (or lightly coat in oil).
2.) In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, water, oil, egg whites and vanilla on low speed using an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3.) Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let sit in pans for 10 – 15 minute before turning over onto wire racks to cool completely. Trim off the tops of the cakes to make a level surface.
4.) Place 1 tablespoon of each flavour of gelatin in separate small bowls. Stir 1/3 cup boiling water into each and stir until dissolved. On the trimmed sides of the cake, splash the different gelatin all over the cakes. Cover cakes separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
5.) Remove cakes from fridge. Unwrap and place 1 cake on plate or cake stand and spread with white icing evenly on top. Place the second cake on top and finish icing the cake, top and sides, with white icing. Randomly place big dollops of the colored decorated icing all over the iced cake. Using a small rubber spatula, swirl the dollops together to create a tie-dye/rainbow effect on the cake.
6.) Serve and enjoy!