Rainbow Chip Birthday Layer Cake

I have the most wonderful neighbor, I actually call her my roommate sometimes, even though we don't live with each other... but she lives above me in the same townhouse, and we're only separated by a door, so she's kind of one. Anyway, it was her birthday in July, and I missed her birthday celebration :( So, once she came back into town for school, I promised her that I would bake her a birthday cake. Oddly enough, I had been wanting to make a homemade funfetti-rainbow chip birthday cake for a while, and that's one of her favorite cakes, so it was perfect! Rainbow chip icing is my absolute favorite, like that's the only icing that will actually buy from the store and use. I just love those little pieces hidden in my icing. And then I stumbled across a recipe for HOMEMADE rainbow chips. Um yes please?!? Well, I couldn't just do one cake flavor (I have a tendency of making different cake layers), so I did layers of rainbow chip poundcake & chocolate chip-chocolate poundcake with rainbow chip-cream cheese frosting. I know so many things in one little cake... but that's how I like my cakes, okay? Got it? Good. Well, I definitely suggest you make this for someone's birthday very soon because it was so delicious! Enjoy :) Oh and happy late birthday Kate!!

Lots of Rainbow Chips & Sprinkles!!

See all them chips hidin' in the icing... that's yumminess. 

Rainbow makes everything better

Chocolate Chip-Chocolate Poundcake & Rainbow Chip Poundcake with Rainbow Chip-Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Rainbow Chips

2 11oz Bags of White Chocolate Chips

Food Coloring (pick your favorite colors)

For the Cream Cheese Poundcake Layers:

1 ½ Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Softened

1 8oz Package of Cream Cheese, Softened

1 ½C Sugar

3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature  

1 ½C AP Flour

Pinch of Salt

2t Vanilla

1C (heaping) Prepared Rainbow Chips

For the Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Poundcake Layers:

1 ½ Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Softened

1 8oz Package of Cream Cheese, Softened

1 ½C Sugar

3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature  

1 ½C AP Flour

½C Cocoa Powder

Pinch of Salt

2t Vanilla

1C (heaping) Mini Chocolate Chips

For the Rainbow Chip-Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 8oz Packages of Cream Cheese, Softened

2 Sticks of Butter, Softened

4C Confectioners’ Sugar, Sifted

2t Vanilla

2C Prepared Rainbow Chips

For the Cake:

2 Prepared Rainbow Chip Cream Cheese Poundcake Layers

2 Prepared Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Poundcake Layers

Prepared Rainbow Chip-Cream Cheese Frosting

Rainbow Chips, For Garnishing

Sprinkles, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. To Make the Rainbow Chips: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate in 20-second intervals. Stir well. Continue to heat until all the chips are melted. Divide the melted white chocolate into small bowls, and add 5-7 drops of colors into each bowl. Stir to combine. The white chocolate will seize up a bit but it should still be pliable. On a baking sheet, covered with parchment paper, empty out each bowl of the colored chocolate. Using an offset spatula form it into a rough rectangle about ¼inch thick. Place into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes or until set. Once set, chop up each color into little pieces and set aside.

2. To Make the Rainbow Chip-Cream Cheese Poundcake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and spray 2 cake pans with Pam and set them aside. In an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add in the sugar, beating well. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next; beat until just combined. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, and then gradually add it to the butter mixture, beating at a low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in the prepared rainbow chips. Pour the batter into the two prepared pans and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour each, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes and then invert on a wire rack to cool completely (before layering).

3. To Make the Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Poundcake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and spray 2 cake pans with Pam and set them aside. In an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add in the sugar, beating well. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next; beat until just combined. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl, and then gradually add it to the butter mixture, beating at a low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the two prepared pans and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour each, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes and then invert on a wire rack to cool completely (before layering).

4. To Make the Rainbow Chip-Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, and then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Fold in the rainbow chips.

5. To Layer the Cake: Place 1 layer of the rainbow chip-cream cheese Poundcake, rounded side down, in the middle of a cake stand. Using a spatula spread a thick layer of cream cheese frosting on top of the cake and sprinkle some more rainbow chips on top. Carefully set 1 layer of chocolate-chocolate chip cream cheese Poundcake, rounded side down, on top of the frosting and spread another thick layer of frosting and rainbow chips. Repeat this pattern until all the cake layers have been used. Once you have finished layering & stacking the cake, spread this softened cream cheese frosting over the entire cake. This first layer of cream cheese frosting should be very thin (make sure to scrape of excess with a knife). Place the cake in the refrigerator for an hour to harden. By doing this, this will form a hard layer around the cake, which will help with the cake crumbs to not be visible in your frosting. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread the remaining cream cheese frosting over the cake in a thick coating (make sure it is even and smooth). Once all the frosting has been used, garnish with sprinkles and more rainbow chips.

6. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set up the frosting, but then let the cake come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before eating.

7. Serve and enjoy your beautiful cake!

source: homemade rainbow chips.