I hope you’re ready for one fantastic cake that will leave your friends & family wanting more! The way to describe this cake: 3 layers of fluffy almond cake, fresh raspberry compote filling, a silky chocolate ganache coating, and lots of chocolate sprinkles.

This Classic Italian Rainbow Cake takes inspiration from The Original Cakebites.

These unique indulgent treats date back to the late 1800s when Italian-American immigrants made them a staple in special celebrations with family and friends.  The rainbow cookies quickly became synonymous with “local bakery craftsmanship”. Widely known as seven-layer cookies, Italian wedding cookies or Venetians, these luscious treats are now available in convenient packaging for everyday consumption on-the-go.  No need to wait until the holidays or to be invited to a party!

Now I know homemade cakes can be a scary thing for many people. This recipe ideally skips all of the typical fuss and stress around baking a cake. A simplified cake base with a perfectly smooth chocolate ganache is all you need.

Be sure to grab the full recipe & check out the full video tutorial in the recipe card below. And if you try this recipe (I mean you totally should be), tag me on Instagram @imancake and use the hashtag #BakingWithMANCAKE.

Classic Italian Rainbow Cake

prep time: 10 MINUTES cook time: 40 MINUTES additional time: 10 MINUTES total time: 1 HOUR

Ingredients

• 2 & 1/4 cups flour
• 2 & 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter at room temperature
• 1 & 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 5 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla
• 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1 pound of raspberries
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups of chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For the White Cake

1. Whisk dry ingredients together.
2. In another bowl, beat butter & sugar together until light & fluffy.
3. Add oil & incorporate.
4. Add egg whites & fullY incorporate.
5. Add clear vanilla **regular vanilla will work just as well**
6. Starting & ending with flour mixture, alternate between flour mixture & milk while being sure to whisk after each addition.
7. Pour your batter into your prepared pans. Do not worry about using all the cake batter in your pans since we’ll be using what’s left for our donuts. If you run out, though you shouldn’t, you can reuse this recipe for white cake donuts.
8. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

For the Chocolate Ganache

1. Place chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl.
2. In a glass measuring cup, pour 1/4 cup of heavy cream and heat for 60 seconds in microwave.
3. Pour hot heavy cream over chocolate chips and allow to sit for 1 – 2 minutes.
4. Mix chocolate chips & heavy cream until fully combined and you are left with a silky smooth chocolate ganache mixture.

For the Raspberry Compote

1. Add raspberries to small saucepan.
2. Add sugar & lemon juice.
3. Reduce over medium low heat for 20 – 25 minutes.
4. Stir often until reduced by about half.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Decorating

1. Once your cakes have baked and cooled, level each cake.
2. Place your pink almond cake on your cake decorating table and add a thin layer of raspberry compote.
3. Add on your yellow almond cake layer followed by more raspberry compote.
4. Top your cake stack off with your green almond cake.
5. Begin to fully cover your cake with chocolate ganache.
6. Using a cake frosting scraper, straight spatula, or offset spatula you will want to smooth over your chocolate ganache. The best way is to hold your smoothing tool upright and gently pressed against your cake while rotating your cake turntable. You’ll want to continue this until you have a smooth coating.
7. Smooth the chocolate ganache on top of your cake with an offset spatula.
8. Set in the fridge and allow to chill for 5 minutes.
9. Once your ganache has set around cake, add a second coating. Making to to smooth once your cake is coated in ganache.
10. After you have a smooth coating of ganache, all you have to do is being decorating with your chocolate sprinkles. I like to add a 1/2 cup on top and sprinkle the rest around the sides of the cake.

Notes

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Be sure to allow your dairy ingredients to reach room temperature. Room temperature ingredients not only combine more effortlessly (no over-mixing needed) but they also trap air so much better. This trap air will expand and produce a fluffy texture during your baking process.
• Prepared Pan: There will always be the “next best way to prepare your pan” article. Simply put however, the most effective way i find in my kitchen is a light rub of shortening around the sides, parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, & a very light dusting of flour (cocoa powder for chocolate baked goods) all throughout.