Edible Easter Rainbow: Marbled Cake with Peeps and M&M’s

Sometimes a holiday calls for the most adorable, most festive and most colorful dessert possible, and Easter is no different! Check out this pastel creation from Cookies, Cupcakes and Cardio, a rainbow delight using marshmallow Bunny Peeps and seasonal M&M’s!

You’ll Need

– Bunny Peeps
– White chocolate M&M’s

Vanilla Cake Batter

– 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
– 3 teaspoons baking powder
– 1 1/3 cups sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 cup butter
– 1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 2 eggs
– Pink, yellow and blue food coloring (Cookies, Cupcakes and Cardio recommends Americolor gel pastes)

Vanilla Buttercream

– 1/2 cup butter
– 3 cups icing sugar
– 2 teaspoons vanilla
– 4 tablespoons milk

How To:

Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  3. With the mixer on low, gradually add the butter. Mix on medium-low until well-combined.
  4. Add the vanilla and gradually pour in the milk in a steady stream.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix until well-combined, at least for 30 seconds more.
  6. Divide the cake batter into 4 equal portions. Color one portion blue, one portion yellow, and one portion pink. Leave the final portion white and uncolored.
  7. Place dollops of each colored batter randomly into one of the cake pans. You should use about half of the total batter.
  8. Run a knife through the dollops to blend them together. Gently tap the cake pan to eliminate any air bubbles.
  9. Repeat the dollop process with the second pan.
  10. Bake the cakes for 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Buttercream

  1. In a stand mixer, mix the butter on medium until nice and fluffy.
  2. Turn the mixer off and add about 2 cups of the powdered sugar.
  3. Mix on low and add the vanilla.
  4. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
  5. Pause mixing and add the final cup of powdered sugar.
  6. Begin mixing again on low and add the remaining milk gradually until you reach your desired consistency.
  7. Increase mixing speed to medium or medium-high until blended completely.
  8. Add blue food coloring and mix completely.

Final Touches

  1. Level each cake layer. On a cake board, place one layer of cake, and coat it in a layer of buttercream. Place the second layer on top.
  2. Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream as the crumb coat. Place into a freezer for 20 minutes, until the buttercream has hardened.
  3. Apply a second coat of buttercream.
  4. Place the Bunny Peeps around the side of the cake, coating the back of each marshmallow with icing so it adheres to the cake well.
  5. Choose one color of M&M’s and arrange them around the outside of the top of the cake. Change colors and continue to work inwards, toward the center of the cake.
  6. Slice and serve the cake immediately, or place in the fridge until it is ready to be eaten.

It almost looks too cute to eat! Have you ever made a cake like this one? We think you can play with the food coloring and adapt this recipe for use throughout the year, for all kinds of festive occasions! Will you try this recipe?