Don’t look at this stunning cake for too long or you’ll get dizzy… Lucky this Rainbow Swirl Cake Tutorial isn’t an illusion – check out this step-by-step guide!
Maria Magrat is a self-taught cake artist from Russia specialising in 3D and unusual cakes. Cakes are her passion! She thinks that cakes are more than just sweet desserts. It’s art! Maria has regular publications in Russian magazines about cake art. She is a creator of exclusive cake sprinkles in Russia and a teacher and author in her own learning portal.
Equipment Required:
- 16cm wide 14cm high cake
- 3kg white fondant
- 1.5kg black fondant
- Food gel colour: yellow, green, blue, electric pink
- Water
- 2 silicone mats
- Very thin blade
- Stainless steel ruler
- Traingular stainless steel ruler
- Sharp scalpel
- Little rolling pin
- Big cake rolling pin
- Gloves (for fondant colouring)
- Small thin brush
- 12x53cm acetate film
- Cake board
Step 1
Using food colours, colour white fondant in bright shades. You need 450g turquoise, 320g green, 385g bright yellow, 580g pink and 180g orange. For turquoise, mix blue and a bit of yellow. For green, add a bit of yellow to green. For orange, mix pink and yellow.
Step 2
Roll out a large layer of 2mm thick black and white fondant. Add a few drops of water to the black fondant and lay the white layer on top. Gently roll with the rolling pin.
Step 3a
Cut off the excess. You need a 24x10cm layer.
Step 3b
Accurately roll into a tube starting from the short side and roll out with your hands to reduce the thickness. You need a 24cm roll. Divide in half with the blade.
Step 4
Roll out a small part of the turquoise fondant into a thin 12cm wide layer. Add a drop of water. Place the black and white roll on the fondant and wrap with the turquoise layer carefully pressing on the roll. There must be no air inside! Cut off at the juncture and roll well. Repeat with the second roll.
Step 5
Repeat with a thin layer of black fondant.
Step 6
Roll out a large layer of yellow and orange fondant. Use all the orange fondant and the same amount of yellow. Add a drop of water and place the yellow fondant on top of the orange. Slightly roll out, cut the edges into a rectangle and then cut into two similar pieces. Again, add a drop of water, place a piece on the second and slightly roll out.
Step 7a
Using the blade, carefully cut the layer into thin 2-3mm thick strips.
Step 7b
Roll out a thin layer of black fondant and add a drop of water. Lay the cut strips as shown, add some water and place the roll on it.
Step 7c
Wrap carefully pressing on the roll. Cut off at the juncture and roll well Repeat with the second roll.
Step 8a
Roll out a large layer of 3-4mm thick pink and green fondant. Use all the green fondant and the same amount of pink. Add a drop of water, place the green fondant on top of the pink. Slightly roll out, cut the edges into a rectangle and then cut into two similar pieces. Again, add a drop of water, place a piece on the second and slightly roll out.
Step 8b
Using the scalpel, carefully cut the layer into 4-5mm thick strips.
Step 8c
Roll out a thin layer of black fondant and add a drop of water.
Step 8d
Lay the cut strips as shown, add some water and place the roll on it. Wrap carefully pressing on the roll.
Step 8e
Cut off at the juncture and roll well. Roll out with your hands to reduce the thickness of the roll. You need a 24cm roll. Cut it in to two pieces with the blade. DO NOT repeat the same with the second roll, just with one.
Step 9a
Roll out a large layer of 3-4mm thick black and white fondant. Add a drop of water and place black fondant on top of the white. Slightly roll out, cut the edges into a rectangle and cut into two similar pieces. Again, add a drop of water, place a piece on the second and slightly roll out.
Step 9b
Using the scalpel, carefully cut the layer into 4-5mm thick strips.
Step 9c
Roll out a thin layer of black fondant and add a drop of water. Lay the cut strips as shown, add some water and place the roll on it.
Step 9d
Wrap carefully pressing on the roll. Cut off at the juncture and roll well. Roll out with your hands to reduce the thickness of the roll. Cut into two pieces with the blade. Repeat with the second roll.
Step 10
Roll out a thin layer of pink fondant. Add some water and place the roll on it. Wrap carefully pressing on the roll. Cut off at the juncture and roll well. Leave a roll covered only with pink. Make the same with the other rolls using yellow, turquoise and black fondant as shown.
Step 11a
Roll out a long narrow 3-4mm thick layer of black and white fondant. Add a drop of water and place black fondant on top of the white. Slightly roll out, cut the edges into a rectangle and using the scalpel, carefully cut into 3-4m thick strips.
Step 11b
Take a small piece of black fondant, roll into a ball and press to the centre of the cake. Lay a strip of black and white fondant around it. Repeat until the top of the cake is covered completely. Slightly roll with the rolling pin on the top of the cake.
Step 12a
Take the prepared rolls. Using the small rolling pin, gently press to the centre as shown. Turn over and do the same on the other side. Turn over again and press a little. Do it very neatly as if stretching the black part towards the centre. Continue until parts are separated by the rolling pin.
Step 12b
Cut the excess with the scalpel. Cut the deformed edges with the blade. You can see the final pattern.
Step 13a
Take the acetate film and lay on the table. Start cutting 3mm thick blanks with the blade. Place on the acetate as you want.
Step 13b
Add a bit of water using the small thin brush to glue the pieces together.
Step 14a
Cover the whole acetate film. Cut off the bottom so it is flat and straight. Lightly add water over the top of the layer. Take the acetate film with the fondant and very carefully and transfer to the cake.
Step 14b
Press very well to the cake and smooth out if necessary. Place the pieces on the juncture gently. Leave the cake on the acetate film for a while and then remove the film.
Step 15a
To cover the cake board, cut two circles the size of the board. Using the ruler and scalpel, cut half of both circles and then cut the halves into equal pieces as shown.
Step 15b
Lay on the cake board one by one using a bit of water to glue to the board. Smooth out if necessary.
Step 16a
Cut pieces from remaining rolls and make flowers. Take a little piece of black fondant, roll into a ball and decorate flowers in the centre. You can add some glaze spray if you want. NOTE: You can use any excess from the rolls in another project or to decorate cupcakes for example.
Step 16b
Lay the flowers down on the top of the cake as shown or as you want.