If you want to be the hit at your next party, this cake will do just that for you! A moist almond cake with a decadent chocolate ganache icing. 

Rainbow Cookie Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

3  9×5 loaf pans

1 1/2 cups flour, preferably King Arthur organic all purpose

3/4 cup unsalted organic butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated organic sugar

8 ounces almond paste, broken up into pieces

3 large organic eggs

1/2 cup organic milk

1/2 tablespoon almond extract

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Red, green and yellow food coloring gel or powder

1/3 apricot preserves or raspberry 

Ganache Icing:

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup organic heavy cream

Colored sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter or cooking spray three

9 x 5-inch loaf pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar.   Add the pieces of almond paste to the bowl.  With an electric mixer or KitchenAid with paddle attachment, beat the mixture on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes until it is well combined. Add the eggs, milk and almond extract; Incorporate them into the butter mixture. Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt until the batter is smooth and well blended.

Evenly divide the batter into 3 bowls.

Add red food coloring to the batter in one bowl; stir until the desired color is achieved.  Do the same with the green and yellow food coloring.  Pour each color batter into its own prepared loaf pan; smooth the top of each to form an even layer.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (DO NOT OVER-BAKE). Check cakes after 20 minutes.   Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Then invert the cake layers onto the wire rack and remove the parchment paper. Allow the cakes  to cool completely. 

To assemble the cake:

Heat the preserves in a small saucepan to a liquid consistency. Pour the preserves through a strainer into a small bowl to remove any lumps.  Place the green cake layer on a serving platter.  Spread half of the fruit preserves on top in an even layer.  Place the yellow layer on top; spread with the remaining preserves, and then add the final red cake layer.  Allow the cake to rest while you make the icing.

To make the ganache icing:

Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl.  Heat the heavy cream in a small pot, until the edges start to bubble.  Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute.  Gently whisk until smooth.  Let the mixture cool to room temperature; it will thicken as it cools.

Line the plate with parchment or wax paper halfway under and around the bottom of the cake on the plate  (this will keep your cake plate  clean while you add the icing).  Use an offset spatula to cover the top and sides with about 3/4 of the chocolate ganache icing.  This is a crumb-coat, so it doesn’t have to look perfect.  Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes.  Add the remaining icing, using an offset spatula or knife to smooth it over the first coat.  Add sprinkles to the top, if desired.