Colorful Layered Cake

Remember to ask an adult for help when you make a Kitchen Crafts recipe.

Illustration by Dani Jones

President Monson’s mother, Gladys, was famous for her cakes. Sometimes she colored the layers of her cakes—green on the bottom, pink in the middle, and yellow on the top. Then she covered the cake in chocolate frosting. To celebrate President Monson’s birthday this month, try this cake recipe. You can make the layers the same colors as Sister Monson used to do, or try your own color combinations.

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

6 egg whites

food coloring

chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Stir in water, vanilla, and milk.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Stir well after each addition of the flour mixture.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff. Egg whites should be frothy and form soft peaks. Gently fold egg whites into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between three clean bowls. Mix food coloring into each bowl until the batter is the desired color. Pour the batters into the three prepared pans.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of each pan comes out clean.
Remove pans from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then remove the cake from the pans and cool on the wire rack for another 30 minutes.
Spread your favorite chocolate frosting in between the layers of the cake, and then stack the layers. Frost the sides and top of the cake.