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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    How to Make a Tie Dye Cake

    Published: May 13, 2020 · Modified: Jun 14, 2023 by Alison · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe

    Learn How to Make a Tie Dye Cake for a fun colorful way to celebrate! It’s easier than you think and so fun to make!

    How to Make a Tie Dye Cake

    My daughter wanted a Tie-Dye cake for her birthday party and loves a homemade cake over store bought cake. I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to do it myself. I was shocked with the results and it was actually easier than I thought it would be.

    Learn How to Make a Tie Dye Cake

    You can make the cake from scratch if you want or to save on time use a boxed cake mix like I did. Using a variety of food coloring and a certain technique is what makes the Rainbow Tie Dye cake. Try experimenting with different colors to make your cake unique.  Enjoy the tutorial below!

    Ingredients

    1 box vanilla cake mix (plus required eggs, oil, and water as directed on box)
    Food coloring (I used blue, yellow, red, green, purple)
    Round cake pan
    White frosting

    How to Make a Tie Dye Cake

    Easy ways to make a How to Make a Tie Dye Cake

    Mix the cake according to box directions. Divide the batter into 4-6 separate bowls depending on how many colors you want. Add food coloring to each bowl until you get the desired color you want in each bowl.

    Pour one bowl into the middle of the pan. Pour the next color on top of the other color in the middle of the pan and let it expand for a few seconds. Continue layering on top with each color let it expanding for a few seconds in between until all the bowls are empty. The batter should be touching the edges. Do not shake, mix or touch the batter once it’s in the pan.

    Bake cake according to box directions. Let cake cool. Decorate and enjoy!

    At first when you take the cake out your will notice it in a swirl pattern but when you cut into the cake you will see the full effect of the Tie-Dye Cake.

    Recipe

    How to Make a Tie-Dye Cake

    EverydayShortcuts.com
    Learn How to Make a Tie-Dye Cake for a fun colorful way to celebrate! It's easier than you think and so fun to make!
    5 from 4 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 27 minutes mins
    Total Time 42 minutes mins

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 box vanilla cake mix plus required eggs, oil, and water as directed on box
    • Food coloring I used blue, yellow, red, green, purple
    • Round cake pan
    • White frosting

    Instructions
     

    • Mix the cake according to box directions. Divide the batter into 4-6 separate bowls depending on how many colors you want. Add food coloring to each bowl until you get the desired color you want in each bowl.
    • Pour one bowl into the middle of the pan. Pour the next color on top of the other color in the middle of the pan and let it expand for a few seconds. Continue layering on top with each color let it expanding for a few seconds in between until all the bowls are empty. The batter should be touching the edges. Do not shake, mix or touch the batter once it's in the pan.
    • Bake cake according to box directions. Let cake cool. Decorate and enjoy!

    Nutrition Disclosure

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Tag @everydayshortcuts or use #everydayshortcuts on Facebook, TikTok or Instagram to let us know!

    If you’re looking for other delicious desserts check out these mouth-watering ones!

     

    More Desserts

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    Alison is a wife and mother of three who embraces the simple life, finding joy in easy recipes, DIY projects, life hacks, and her passion for travel. Learn more about me!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Megan

      May 16, 2022 at 12:53 am

      Hi there! Have you ever had trouble with your colors getting muddy or combining together? I wonder if perhaps my batter was too warm?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alison

        May 16, 2022 at 12:30 pm

        No I never had that issue.

        Reply
    2. Debbie

      July 22, 2022 at 4:59 pm

      Do you think this would work for cupcakes

      Reply
      • Alison

        July 27, 2022 at 9:46 pm

        Yes, but I would add a little bit of each color into the muffin cup layering in the order of colors you want and Do Not stir.

        Reply
    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Alison McFadden

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