Rainbow Zebra Cake

Surprise your guests with this colourful showstopping party cake

- Esther Clark

Celebrate our 12th birthday with us! Make our rippled rainbow sponge, ice it with a simple vanilla and cream cheese buttercream, then top with a flurry of coloured sprinkles for a kitsch festive finish.

SERVES 12 PREP 50 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V

375g salted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 375g golden caster sugar 6 large eggs, at room temperature 375g self-raising flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder 150ml milk blue and pink food colouring (see tip, right) sprinkles, to decorate

For the icing 250g salted butter, softened 400g icing sugar, sifted 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out 100g full-fat cream cheese

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Butter and line three 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich cake tins with baking parchment.