a valentines day project

i've been wanting to make a rainbow layer cake for a couple of years now, but since i only had one round cake pan i'd yet to actually do it. with the recent ombre trend extending into parties and home decor (not to mention the upcoming valentines day celebration) - i took my chance. 

i bought a small heart cake pan, some gel food coloring and got to work. i used this recipe, and this buttercream. i will try the OG icing next time i make this cake, as the simple buttercream seemed a bit soft. 

the gel food coloring is no joke - i used maybe 5 drops for the darkest red, 3 for the darker pink, and 1 for the lightest color.

i used the smaller pan - but there was enough batter to make two 8 inch layers of each color.

this is an important step - the cakes will be rounded on top from rising while they bake. using a serrated knife - cut 'the hump' off. if you don't - you'll have a heck of a time frosting between layers and keeping everything even.

frost each layer with a generous amount of buttercream. i decorated mine with some poufs from the dollar section at michaels.

cute, right? just run some thread though a few of them, tie a toothpick on each end and call it a day.

oh, except the eating part. and the food coma that immediately (and inevitably) follows. 

enjoy, and happy valentines day! 

all photos by me