Rainbows on the brain...and in the tummy!

I've been seeing some version of rainbow cake bounce around for a while now and wanted to try it someday. Since the kiddos probably won't appreciate these cheerful wonders as much when they're older, I figured I should tackle the task today. Goober's class celebrates birthdays once a month, and this was his big b-day treat contribution. They were a bit time consuming, but they look amazing.

We'll be reserving this recipe for VERY special occasions. The cupcake recipe is from the March issue of Family Fun Magazine. I used this butter cream frosting recipe from Food Network and learned some frosting tips from Little Birdie Secrets.

Rainbow Cupcakes

Prepare a white cake mix (18 1/4 ounce box) and divide the batter evenly among 6 small bowls. Dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color with food coloring, using the guide below. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath. Bake cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Cool completely before frosting.

Purple...9 red and 6 blue drops
Blue...12 drops
Green...12 drops
Yellow...12 drops
Orange...12 yellow and 4 red drops
Red...18 drops