Rainbow Citrus Cake

Health score
4%
Rainbow Citrus Cake
75 min.
8
650kcal

Suggestions

If you’re the kind of person who lights up at the sight of a colorful dessert table, this Rainbow Citrus Cake is about to become your new obsession. Imagine three vibrant layers—lemon sunshine, orange glow, and zesty lime—stacked together into one show-stopping dessert that tastes as bright as it looks. Each layer is infused with fresh citrus zest and a hint of food coloring, so when you slice into the cake, you reveal a playful trio of colors that instantly grabs attention.
Beyond its looks, this cake delivers serious flavor. The tender crumb comes from a classic combination of all-purpose flour, milk, eggs, and shortening, all brought together with vanilla and a generous amount of sugar for that nostalgic bakery-style sweetness. What really makes it special, though, is the way the citrus notes weave through every bite—lemon, orange, and lime each bringing their own personality to the party.
Once baked, the layers are joined with a tangy Lemon Filling and finished with a luscious Orange Cream Frosting, creating a balance of sweet and tart that keeps you going back for “just one more” forkful. It’s the perfect dessert for birthdays, spring gatherings, or any time you want to impress guests with something fun and unexpected. Yes, it’s indulgent at 650 kcal per serving—but honestly, for a cake this joyful, it’s worth every single bite.

Ingredients

  • teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
  •  eggs 
  • 3.5 cups flour all-purpose
  • drops food coloring green
  • teaspoons lemon zest grated
  • teaspoons lime zest grated
  • 1.5 cups milk 
  • drops orange food coloring 
  • teaspoons orange zest grated
  • teaspoon salt 
  • 0.8 cup shortening 
  • teaspoons vanilla extract 
  • 2.3 cups sugar white
  • drops food coloring yellow

Equipment

  • bowl
  • frying pan
  • oven
  • wire rack
  • toothpicks

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Divide batter into 3 bowls.
  3. In first bowl, stir in lemon zest and yellow food coloring; pour into prepared pan. In second bowl, Stir in orange zest and orange food coloring; pour into second prepared pan. In third bowl Stir in lime zest and green food coloring; pour into third prepared pan.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  5. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
  6. Assemble the cake: Put layers together with Lemon Filling. Frost sides and top with Orange Cream Frosting. Refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories650kcal
Protein6.06%
Fat32.25%
Carbs61.69%

Properties

Glycemic Index
38.39
Glycemic Load
70.92
Inflammation Score
-4
Nutrition Score
13.039130480393%

Flavonoids

Hesperetin
0.22mg
Naringenin
0.02mg

Nutrients percent of daily need

Calories:649.5kcal
32.48%
Fat:23.5g
36.15%
Saturated Fat:6.43g
40.18%
Carbohydrates:101.13g
33.71%
Net Carbohydrates:99.53g
36.19%
Sugar:58.72g
65.25%
Cholesterol:87.33mg
29.11%
Sodium:606.88mg
26.39%
Alcohol:0.34g
100%
Alcohol %:0.21%
100%
Protein:9.94g
19.88%
Selenium:26.52µg
37.88%
Vitamin B1:0.47mg
31.25%
Folate:110.67µg
27.67%
Vitamin B2:0.45mg
26.26%
Calcium:226.38mg
22.64%
Phosphorus:203.92mg
20.39%
Manganese:0.39mg
19.33%
Iron:3.25mg
18.08%
Vitamin B3:3.31mg
16.53%
Vitamin K:10.59µg
10.09%
Vitamin E:1.47mg
9.79%
Vitamin B5:0.88mg
8.84%
Vitamin B12:0.44µg
7.38%
Fiber:1.6g
6.41%
Vitamin D:0.94µg
6.29%
Zinc:0.87mg
5.77%
Magnesium:21.18mg
5.29%
Copper:0.1mg
5.07%
Potassium:163.04mg
4.66%
Vitamin B6:0.09mg
4.59%
Vitamin A:195.51IU
3.91%
Vitamin C:1.47mg
1.78%
Source:Allrecipes