I am making a cake for my godson's birthday this week. He passed away a few years ago and my friend asked me to make a cake to share with our co-workers and and kids at school. I would like to make a rainbow coming out of the sky...but I don't want a blaring red,yellow, orange, etc. rainbow. I would like to make it look very delicate looking (like a real rainbow would look). Are there any cool techniques out there for buttercream frosting that I could try to get a cool "heavenly" effect on the cake?

I'm sorry to hear about your Godson. What a nice way to honor him. I have no answers or suggestions for you but I'm interested in what anyone would suggest since my daughter has asked for her b-day cake to be rainbow as well.

You could thin down your pastel gel colors with clear vanilla and paint the wash on the cake after it crusts. You could use a rainbow picture as a pattern and maybe do a pin prick stencil on the cake as your guide and then just do the pastel wash. I think it might give it a air brush look.

First let me say, Im sorry on your familys loss, and my condolences to all of you. I think its a wonderful idea.

what I do on my b/c AFTER it crust, is I get vodka in a tiny tiny container or even a piece of foil, make a little cup...put vodka into it...then I get a color in another contailer or foil....I wet the brush alittle...and dip it into the color...and gently ...very gently paint it onto the b/c to get the color I want.

i did this on the shading for the Boxer cake I did to add the gray shadows. I hope this helps.

No advice, jeaniecakes, but how wonderful that you are helping to celebrate your godson's birthday. My son died almost 11 years ago and we have a "Josh's birthday" dinner every year. Hopefully you will get some good ideas and I thank you for helping your friend remember a special boy's birthday.

I am so sorry for your loss.

I was thinking, if you do a pastel colored rainbox, and maybe add a little luster dust or edible glitter it would give it an extra sparkle.

This is a cupcake and I don't know how the rainbow was done, but I love the look.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo-1221051.html

I love the sky on this one. You could tone down the rainbow colors, put it ON the cake and I think it would be lovely.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo-1304937.html

Martha

I am not sure about how it is all done but whatabout using gelatin? It would be transparent.