After I volunteered to make a favorite little friend a birthday cake, I, who love color and art in my food, was told that he prefers white cake with white icing. Rainbow Butter Cake has saved the day—what 11 year-old boy wouldn’t like a multi-colored version of a white cake?

I found this in one of my mother’s favorite’s, the 1961 edition of The New Antoinette Pope School Cookbook:

Rainbow Butter Cake

• 1-1/2 c. butter (room temp.)
• 2-1/4 c. sugar
• 4 large eggs (room temp.)
• 1-1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5-1/2 c. sifted cake flour
• 4-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 c. + 2 Tbs. milk

Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat for several minutes. Add extracts, then flour sifted with baking powder, about 1 cup at a time, alternately with milk, beating after each addition only until smooth.

To 3-1/2 c. batter add red food coloring, to 2-3/4 c. add green coloring, to remainder (2-1/4 c.) add yellow coloring.

Grease and flour a 10 x 4 tube pan with a removable bottom. First pour in pink batter carefully with a spoon and spread it gently; then with spoon pour in green batter, and lastly yellow batter.

Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour; then about 20 minutes more at 375 degrees or until done.

The first time I tried this cake I cut it into layers—this was a mistake. The cake crumbled. Keep it whole until it’s time to slice!

Fresh Strawberry or Raspberry Fluff Icing

This is the freshest, lightest, truly amazing icing. It beats up like a meringue.

• 1 c. fresh strawberries
• 1-1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• a few drops red food coloring

Beat all together at high speed until light and quite stiff, about 5-10 minutes.