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"Rainbow Cookie" cake with a slice cut out
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Rainbow Cookie Cake

An Italian "rainbow cookie" inspired cake using King Arthur Gluten Free Classic Yellow cake mix
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cooling & Assembling Time30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Allergy-friendly
Keyword: Allergy-friendly, Baking, cake, Gluten-free, Non-Dairy, Vegan
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 1000kcal

Equipment

  • 1 hand or stand mixer
  • 2+ mixing bowls In order to be able to work on at least 2 layers of cake at any given time (2 halves of 1 cake mix), you'll definitely need at least 2 mixing bowls. The more the merrier; in total, there are 5 separate mixes here, but mainly 2 simultaneous ones.

Ingredients

For Cake

  • 2 boxes King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Classic Yellow cake mix
  • 2 cups Applesauce separated
  • 2 sticks Vegan Butter softened and separated (We like Country Crock’s Plant Butter with Olive Oil)
  • 1⅓ cup Almond milk, unsweetened & unflavored separated
  • 7 oz Almond Paste Odense Gluten-Free
  • 1 tsp Almond Extract
  • ½ cup Raspberry Jelly
  • Yellow, Red, and Green Food Dye
  • Rainbow Sprinkles

For Chocolate Buttercream (see linked recipe from Nora Cooks)

  • 2 sticks Vegan Butter softened
  • ¾ cup Cocoa Powder unsweet, Dutch processed
  • 420 g Powdered Sugar (3½ cups)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 3 Tbsp Non-dairy unsweetened milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease bottoms of two 8” circular baking pans.  Line with parchment paper.

First 2 layers (1 box of cake mix)

  • Prepare first box of cake mix.  Beat butter, milk, and applesauce together using an electric mixer.  Add in 1 tsp of almond extract and 3.5 oz of soft almond paste.
  • Add in cake mix and beat until fully incorporated.
  • Pour half of batter into one mixing bowl and half into another mixing bowl.
  • Adding a few drops at a time, add the red food dye to one batter, then stir until incorporated throughout.
  • Adding a few drops at a time, add the green food dye to the other batter, then stir until incorporated throughout.
  • Pour one batter into one prepared cake pan, and pour the other batter into the other prepared cake pan.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes, checking frequently after 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely.

Final + extra layer (2nd box of cake mix)

  • Repeat the above cake preparation to make a yellow layer and an extra, uncolored layer (not used in cake).

Once all layers are completely cool, assemble as follows:

  • Bottom layer:  Green Sponge
  • Spread ¼ inch layer of raspberry jelly over the top of the green layer.
  • Middle layer:  Yellow Sponge
  • Spread ¼ inch layer of raspberry jelly over the top of the green layer
  • Top layer:  Red Sponge
  • Frost the assembled layers with vegan chocolate buttercream, and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles.

Notes

We use the vegan chocolate buttercream recipe from Nora Cooks: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-chocolate-frosting/