# Ingredient List:
→ Cake Layers
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1.25 cups whole milk, room temperature
10 - Gel food coloring in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
→ Piñata Filling
11 - 1.5 cups assorted small candies such as mini M&Ms, rainbow sprinkles, and gummy bears
→ Frosting
12 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
13 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 0.25 cup whole milk
15 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Additional gel food coloring for decorating, optional
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and milk to the butter mixture in three additions, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly into six bowls. Tint each portion with a different gel food coloring to create red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple batters.
07 - Pour each colored batter into a greased and lined 8-inch pan. Smooth the tops evenly. If using only three pans, bake in two batches.
08 - Bake each layer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks for complete cooling.
09 - Once fully cooled, use a 3-inch round cutter to cut a hole in the center of four of the six layers, leaving the top and bottom layers whole.
10 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
11 - Place the purple whole layer as the base on a serving plate. Apply a thin frosting layer. Stack the first cut-out layer and frost lightly. Repeat with remaining cut-out layers.
12 - Pour assorted candies into the center cavity created by the stacked cut-out layers.
13 - Position the remaining whole cake layer over the candy-filled cavity.
14 - Frost the outside and top of the assembled cake generously with remaining frosting. Decorate with colored frosting, sprinkles, or festive decorations as desired.
15 - Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean cuts and reveal the candy piñata inside.
