I was having drinks last month at City Side bar in Tampa, when a gaggle of gays lit some tea lights arranged around a homemade cake and sang Happy Birthday to their tipsy friend. Although the chocolate frosting was perfectly spread in rich thick swirls, I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of it. Who thought it was a good idea to bring a chocolate cake to a gay bar? Gays don’t eat cake! And I was right. By the end of the night, only two thin slices were eaten.

When I set out to make this four-layer cake, I was interested to see if I could make it healthy and lighter than other recipes. And Boy George, it was a challenge. So, here is my version of layer cake that won’t make you bloat out of your boy shorts at PRIDE.

Four-layer rainbow cake

Cake batter Ingredients (Note: Double these measurements to make both layers of the cake):

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted soy butter (room temperature)

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 ½ (just under) cups fat-free milk

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

1 four-color package food coloring

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease round spring-form pan.

2. Mix lemon juice into milk. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs and yolks to mixer, one at a time. Add vanilla extract.

5. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flours, baking powder and salt. On low speed, slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Scrape bowl incorporate ingredients well.

6. On low speed, slowly add milk mixture to mixer.

7. Pour half the batter into a large bowl. Set aside.

8. Mix 9 drops red food coloring into mixer. Add color to reach desired hue.

9. Pour red mix into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick runs clean through the middle.

10. Remove finished cake from spring form. Grease pan again.

11. Pour remaining batter into a clean mixer. Mix 5 drops yellow food coloring into mixer. Add color to reach desired hue.

12. Pour yellow mix into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick runs clean through the middle.

13. Repeat this process for green and blue layers.

Frosting

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon vodka

2 tablespoons water

2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, slowly add half the sugar to the vanilla, vodka and water. When wet ingredients are incorporated, add remaining sugar.

2. Add one additional teaspoon of water if needed.

Assembly

1. Line cake stand with large squares of parchment paper to catch excess frosting.

2. Place blue layer on cake stand. Level top of layer until flat. Frost flat area with thin layer.

3. Place green layer on top of the frosted blue layer. Level until flat, and frost area with thin layer.

4. Place yellow layer on top of the frosted green layer. Level until flat, and frost area with thin layer.

5. Place red layer on top of the frosted yellow layer. Level until flat.

6. Frost top of red layer until covered. Then frost cake sides evenly.

7. Gently remove parchment paper from cake stand.

8. Serve and enjoy.

This article appears in Jun 28 – Jul 4, 2012.