Name: Rainbow Poke Cake Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, slightly melted; 1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar; ¼ cup vegetable oil; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1 cup milk (2% or whole); Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple; 1 box (4-serving box, around 100 grams or 3.4 ounces) vanilla dry instant pudding mix; 2 cups milk (2%); 2 cups heavy cream (35%); ¾ cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar; Optional: sprinkles for decoration

Ingredients

3 cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter (slightly melted)

1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar

¼ cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs (room temperature)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk (2% or whole milk)

Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

1 box (4-serving, about 100 grams) vanilla dry instant pudding mix

2 cups milk (2%) for pudding

2 cups heavy cream (35%)

¾ cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9” x 13” cake pan with non-stick cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, then spray again. Set aside.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil on high speed for about 5 minutes until well creamed.

Step 4: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract for about 1 minute until combined.

Step 5: Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until mostly combined. Then beat in all the milk. Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until no dry flour is visible, being careful not to overmix.

Step 6: Divide the batter evenly into 6 bowls (about 235 grams each). Color each bowl with a different gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Stir gently to blend the color.

Step 7: Arrange the cake pan vertically. Using a spoon, place a spoonful of red batter in the top left corner, then orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple across the top row. For the second row, start with orange, then yellow, green, blue, purple, and red. Continue this pattern, starting each row with the next color in the sequence, until the pan is full. Tap the pan on the counter to level the batter and fill in any gaps.

Step 8: Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 9: While the cake is still warm, prepare the vanilla pudding by whisking the pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk for 2 minutes until thickened.

Step 10: Use the round end of a wooden spoon to poke multiple holes about three-quarters of the way through the cake. Spread the pudding over the cake, filling the poke holes and covering the surface evenly.

Step 11: Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour to allow the pudding to set.

Step 12: To make the whipped cream frosting, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Step 13: Spread the whipped cream frosting evenly over the chilled cake. Add sprinkles if desired.

Tips & Variations

For best results, use gel food coloring to avoid thinning the batter.

You can swap vanilla pudding with chocolate or other flavored puddings for variety.

Make sure eggs and milk are at room temperature to help the batter mix evenly.

If you prefer, fold the batter gently rather than beating to keep the cake light and moist.

Add sprinkles between layers or on top for extra color and fun texture.

FAQs

Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?

Regular food coloring can be used, but gel food coloring is recommended because it provides vibrant colors without altering the batter’s consistency.

How do I know when the cake is fully baked?

Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is done. Baking time is typically around 30 minutes.