Print

Vanilla Almond Rainbow Petal Cake Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 146 reviews

This Vanilla Almond Rainbow Petal Cake is a stunning layered cake featuring a tender vanilla almond-flavored crumb and a smooth, creamy buttercream frosting. The cake is baked in round pans then decorated with colorful buttercream petals arranged in a beautiful rainbow gradient, creating an eye-catching design perfect for celebrations. Moist from the combination of butter, oil, and buttermilk, with aromatic vanilla and almond extracts, this cake balances exquisite flavor with artful presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 7 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Food coloring gel (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet)

Instructions

  1. Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans thoroughly and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease parchment and sides well to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream butter, oil, and sugar: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat softened butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar until well combined and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and extracts: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: On lowest mixer speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Mix until smooth but do not overmix to maintain tender crumb.
  6. Divide and bake: Evenly divide batter between prepared pans, using a kitchen scale for accuracy if desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  7. Cool cakes: Allow cakes to cool completely in pans before inverting onto cooling racks for frosting.
  8. Make buttercream: In a clean bowl, beat softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Increase speed and add heavy cream; beat until fluffy and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
  9. Assemble cake: Place a spoonful of frosting on a cake board to anchor bottom. Set first cooled cake layer down, spread about one cup of frosting evenly on top.
  10. Add second layer and crumb coat: Place second cake layer on top and frost entire cake with a thin crumb coat. Smooth top and sides carefully. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set crumb coat.
  11. Color buttercream: Separate about 3 tablespoons of frosting into small bowls. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring gel for each (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet) and mix thoroughly.
  12. Fill piping bags: Place each colored buttercream into small piping bags fitted with open tips.
  13. Create petal decoration: Starting at outer edge of cake top, pipe small dots of the first color all around. Use an offset spatula to press and swipe dots into petals. Repeat with each color, working inward in rows until reaching center.
  14. Finish decoration: Cover center of cake with sprinkles or other desired toppings. Return cake to refrigerator to chill for another 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Using room temperature ingredients helps ensure a smooth batter and better cake rise.
  • Carefully grease pans and parchment to prevent sticking and damaged cake edges.
  • Do not overmix batter to keep cake light and tender.
  • Chilling the crumb-coated cake before decorating helps achieve smooth frosting finish.
  • Use gel food coloring for vibrant hues without thinning the frosting.
  • An offset spatula is ideal for shaping the buttercream petals.
  • Cake can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Keywords: vanilla almond cake, rainbow cake, buttercream cake, layered cake, colorful cake, celebration cake, petal cake design

Find it online: https://cheflenacooks.com/vanilla-almond-rainbow-petal-cake-recipe/