# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Layers
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature
10 - Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
→ Piñata Filling
11 - 1½ cups assorted small candies (mini M&Ms, rainbow sprinkles, gummy bears)
→ Frosting
12 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
13 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - ¼ cup whole milk
15 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Additional gel food coloring for decorating
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overdeveloping gluten.
06 - Divide batter evenly into six bowls. Tint each portion with a different gel food color to create red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple batters.
07 - Pour each colored batter into prepared pans. Smooth tops evenly. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. If baking in batches, repeat with remaining pans.
08 - Allow layers to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Once completely cooled, use a 3-inch round cutter to hollow out the center of four of the six layers. Keep the top and bottom layers intact.
10 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
11 - Place the purple bottom whole layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin frosting layer. Stack the first cut-out layer and frost lightly. Repeat with all cut-out layers.
12 - Pour assorted candies into the center cavity created by stacked cut-out layers.
13 - Place the final whole top cake layer over the candy-filled cavity, creating a sealed piñata cake.
14 - Generously frost the exterior and top of the assembled cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with additional colored frosting, sprinkles, or festive embellishments as desired.
15 - Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to set the frosting and make cutting cleaner. Slice to reveal the candy surprise inside.
