Rainbow Angel Cake

Simple food colors and candies create the wow for an easy-to-make cake.

Makes: 12 servings

1 box Betty Crocker white angel food cake mix
1 1/4 cups cold water
1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
Red, yellow and green liquid food colors
1 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting (from 1-pound container)
12 to 15 square candy fruit chews

1. Move oven rack to lowest position (remove other racks). Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In extra-large glass or metal bowl, beat cake mix, water and lemon peel with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 1 minute.

2. Divide batter evenly among 3 bowls. Gently stir 6 to 8 drops of one food color into each of the batters. Pour red batter into ungreased 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan. (Do not use fluted tube cake pan or 9-inch angel food pan or batter will overflow.) Spoon yellow batter over red batter. Spoon green batter over top.

3. Bake 37 to 47 minutes or until top is dark golden brown and cracks feel very dry and not sticky. Do not under-bake. Immediately turn pan upside down onto glass bottle until cake is completely cool, about 2 hours. Run knife around edges of cake; remove from pan to serving plate.

4. Spoon 1/2 cup of the frosting into microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High about 15 seconds or until frosting can be stirred smooth and is thin enough to drizzle. (Or spoon frosting into 1-quart saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until thin enough to drizzle.) Drizzle over cake.

5. Place remaining frosting in decorating bag with writing tip. Pipe a ribbon and bow on each candy square to look like a wrapped package. Arrange packages on top of cake. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude cake mix directions for angel food pan, adding lemon peel to batter.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 240 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 370mg; Total Carbohydrate 45g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 35g); Protein 3g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 6%; Iron 0%

Exchanges: 1 Starch; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Special Touch:
Top this pretty cake with colorful candy presents. Spoon about 1/4 cup of Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting into a small resealable plastic bag. Mix in food color if desired. Cut off a corner of the bag, and pipe frosting onto unwrapped candy fruit chews to look like ribbon. Arrange presents on cake.

Storage Tip:
Grate lemon or orange peel onto waxed paper. After you’ve used what you need, fold paper over leftover peel and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Seal in a resealable food storage bag and freeze until you need it next.

Success:
Serrated knives work best when cutting a foam-type cake like angel food.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker 2008/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved