Rainbow Roll Cake

A delightful vision of vibrant rainbow stripes, this rainbow roll cake is moist and sweet with a creamy buttercream filling inside. 

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It’s hard to resist the allure of this vibrant rainbow roll cake with the bright colors of the moist cake wrapped around a creamy buttercream filling that is just begging to be eaten. So get ready to impress your friends and family with this delicious show-stopper!

Rainbow Roll Cake Ingredients

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If you’re a fan of colorful and whimsical desserts, then the rainbow roll cake is definitely worth a try.

This vibrant dessert features a layer of light and airy sponge cake that is dyed in a variety of bright colors and then rolled up with a sweet filling.

You’ll need:

For The Rainbow Cake:

• ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature 
• ½ cup of granulated sugar 
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil 
• 1½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon of pure almond extract
• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple gel food color
• Powdered sugar for dusting

For The Buttercream Filling:

• ¾ cup of salted sweet cream butter, softened 
• 1 teaspoon of clear vanilla flavoring
• ½ teaspoon of almond extract
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream

Substitutions And Additions

FOOD COLORING: We recommend gel food coloring in this rainbow cake recipe. You will get a nice bright color with only a few drops, while liquid food coloring will require quite a bit for equally vibrant rainbow colors.

SPRINKLES: Add rainbow sprinkles onto the filling once it has been spread for an extra pop of color in the middle of your cake.

FILLING: Get creative with your filling choices! Instead of the classic buttercream, try using flavored cream cheese, Nutella, or fruit preserves for a unique taste.

Consider incorporating fresh fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or sliced kiwi to complement the cake’s sweetness and add a burst of freshness.

TOPPINGS: Customize your cake further by adding toppings like chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or chocolate shavings to the whipped cream before rolling.

How To Make This Rainbow Cake Roll Recipe

To make this rainbow dessert, you’ll need a little bit of time to create the colorful rainbow cake, but you will be rewarded with a beautiful treat once it is ready.

Our step-by-step instructions will walk you through the process.

Rainbow Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15x1-inch baking sheet (jelly roll pan) with parchment paper. Set it aside.

STEP TWO: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

STEP THREE: Beat eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, and almond extract for five to six minutes until thickened and light yellow.

Use either a stand mixer or a medium bowl and a handheld electric mixer at high speed.

STEP FOUR: Gently fold in the flour mixture until combined.

STEP FIVE: Quickly and gently divide the batter between six small bowls, about two-thirds of a cup each.

STEP SIX: Add one color of the gel food color per bowl.

Depending on how dark you want to tint the batter, we recommend three to five drops.

Gently fold the gel into the cake batter. 

STEP SEVEN: Spoon the individual colors into six disposable piping bags or quart-size Ziploc bags. Secure the tops of the bags.

STEP EIGHT: Lightly spray the prepared baking sheet with nonstick spray, paying close attention to the edges.

STEP NINE: Snip off a small corner of the bag. Starting at one corner of the prepared baking sheet, gently squeeze a small amount of the red batter.

Be sure to keep the line as straight as possible. Next, gently squeeze a line of orange batter ¾ inch-1 inch wide.

Follow with the yellow, green, blue, and purple batter. Continue until the pan has been covered.

Lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles in the cake batter. Bake for eight minutes.

STEP TEN: Remove the pan from the oven. Measure out a piece of parchment paper to roll the cake in.

You will need to leave about a 2-inch overhang to begin the cake roll. Lightly dust the baked cake. 

STEP ELEVEN: Have a large cutting board or cooling rack ready to aid in the cake transfer.

STEP TWELVE: While the cake is warm, lay the piece of parchment paper over the powdered sugar-dusted cake.

Place the cutting board or cooling rack on top of the parchment.

Carefully flip the cake over so that the cake is resting on the dusted piece of parchment and cutting board/cooling rack.

STEP THIRTEEN: Remove the upside-down cake pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper that the cake was baked on. 

STEP FOURTEEN: Fold the overhanging end of the new piece of parchment paper up onto the cake.

Gently and patiently, start rolling the shorter side of the cake towards the other short side.

The parchment paper will be rolled up inside the cake. Once rolled, transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Buttercream Filling

STEP ONE: Beat the softened butter for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.

Use either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed.

STEP TWO: Add the clear vanilla and the almond extract and continue mixing for another 30 seconds.

STEP THREE: Lower the mixer speed to low speed and beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time.

Alternate with heavy cream. Increase the speed back up to medium-high and continue mixing for one more minute until smooth.

STEP FOUR: Once the cake has completely cooled, gently unroll the cake.

Using either a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread the layer of buttercream filling over the surface of the cake roll, avoiding the outer edges. 

STEP FIVE: Tear off two sheets of plastic wrap to overlap the long edges and lightly spray with nonstick spray. This is for tightly wrapping the filled cake roll.

STEP SIX: Slowly roll the cake back up as before. Transfer the cake roll to the prepared plastic wrap. Roll the finished cake roll up in the plastic wrap.

Once finished wrapping, twist the ends tightly to seal the cake roll securely. Chill in the refrigerator for six hours.

Remove just before serving to slice the cake into ten ½-inch slices.

How To Serve This Rainbow Roll Cake Recipe

This delicious rainbow roll cake would be a fun alternative to a traditional birthday cake.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a spoonful of whipped cream on top for a fabulous way to celebrate any occasion.

For something to drink, try pairing it with a warm beverage such as a homemade hot chocolate or latte.

Once you get the hang of making roll cakes, our strawberry roll cake and caramel banana cake roll are two more recipes that should not be missed.

MORE ROLL CAKE RECIPES

Roll Cakes

Carrot Cake Roll With Cream Cheese Filling

Poke Cakes

Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

Storing This Rainbow Swiss Roll Cake

If you are planning to make this yummy cake for a special event, consider making it ahead of time and have it checked off your list before things get busy.

MAKE AHEAD: You can bake the colorful sponge cake layers ahead of time and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

You can also whip up the filling and keep it refrigerated separately for the same duration.

When you’re ready to assemble the cake, simply follow the assembly steps in the original recipe.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this rainbow Swiss roll recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the cake roll for up to three months. Wrap the plastic-wrapped cake roll in a layer of aluminum foil.

Allow the cake roll to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Why We Love This Recipe

VISUALLY STUNNING: The cake is a feast for the eyes. Its vibrant, colorful layers make it a showstopper at any gathering or celebration. It’s the perfect dessert to add a pop of color.

LIGHT AND FLUFFY TEXTURE: The sponge cake layers are incredibly light and fluffy, providing a delicate and airy texture that contrasts beautifully with the creamy filling.

CROWD-PLEASER: This cake is a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults. Its combination of colorful appeal and delightful taste makes it a dessert that everyone will enjoy.

This eye-catching treat is perfect for a birthday party or special occasion, and it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Whether you’re a kitchen novice or an experienced baker, you can create a beautiful rainbow roll cake with just a few simple steps.

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• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf
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Rainbow Roll Cake

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A delightful vision of vibrant rainbow stripes, this rainbow roll cake is moist and sweet with a creamy buttercream filling inside. 

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings 10

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Ingredients

  

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Rainbow Cake

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• gel food coloring, (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Buttercream Filling

• ¾ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

 

Rainbow Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15x1-inch baking sheet (jelly roll pan) with parchment paper. Set it aside.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Using either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on high speed, beat together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, and almond extract for 5 to 6 minutes, until thickened and light yellow.
• Gently fold in the flour mixture until combined.
• Quickly and gently divide the batter between 6 bowls (about ⅔ cup each).
• Add 1 color of the gel food color per bowl. Depending on how dark you want to tint the batter, we recommend 3 to 5 drops. Gently fold the gel into the cake batter.
• Spoon the individual colors into 6 disposable piping bags or quart-size ziplock bags. Secure the tops of the bags.
• Lightly spray the prepared baking sheet with nonstick spray, paying close attention to the edges.
• Snip off a small corner of the bag. Starting at 1 corner of the prepared baking sheet, gently squeeze a small amount of the red batter. Be sure to keep the line as straight as possible. Next, gently squeeze a line of orange batter ¾ inch-1 inch wide. Next, the yellow, green, blue, and purple. Continue until the pan has been covered. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles in the cake batter. Bake for 8 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Measure out a piece of parchment paper to roll the cake in. You will need to leave about a 2-inch overhang to begin the cake roll. Lightly dust the baked cake.
• Have a large cutting board or cooling rack ready to aid in the cake transfer.
• While the cake is warm, lay the piece of parchment paper over the powdered sugar-dusted cake. Place the cutting board (or cooling rack) on top of the parchment. Carefully flip the cake over so that the cake is resting on the dusted piece of parchment and cutting board/cooling rack.
• Remove the upside-down cake pan, and carefully peel off the parchment paper that the cake was baked on.
• Fold the overhanging end of the parchment paper up onto the cake and then gently and patiently start rolling the shorter side of the cake towards the other short side. The parchment paper will be rolled up inside the cake. Once rolled, transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Buttercream Filling

• Using either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.
• Add the clear vanilla and the almond extract and continue mixing for another 30 seconds.
• Lower the mixer speed to low, and beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Alternate with the heavy cream. Increase the speed back up to medium-high and continue mixing for 1 more minute until smooth.
• Once the cake has completely cooled, gently unroll the cake. Using either a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread the filling over the surface of the cake roll, avoiding the outer edges.
• Tear off 2 sheets of plastic wrap to overlap the long edges and lightly spray with nonstick spray. This is for tightly wrapping the filled cake roll.
• Slowly roll the cake back up as before. Transfer the cake roll to the prepared plastic wrap. Roll the finished cake roll up in the plastic wrap. Once finished wrapping, twist the ends tightly to seal the cake roll securely. Chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours. Remove just before serving to slice the cake into ten ½-inch slices.

Notes

• Make sure you are using an actual jelly roll pan. You cannot substitute a cookie sheet for a jelly roll pan as it will not produce the cake you are hoping for.
• It is very important to be gentle when folding in the flour and the color. It’s important to keep as much of the air bubbles in the batter as possible to keep the cake fluffy.
• Place each bag in a bowl or cup with the cut end up so the batter doesn’t spill out while piping the layers in the cake pan.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.
• You can use a tea towel to wrap the warm cake roll in, but the rainbow colors will stain the tea towel. The parchment paper is disposable and will not stain.
• Be patient when rolling and unrolling the cake roll. Unrolling too quickly can cause cracks in the cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

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