Bright Easter Cake (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Base Layer

01 - 1 cup milk (from the total of 3 cups)
02 - Half a cup of vegetable oil
03 - 3 large eggs or just egg whites (white helps keep lighter colors)
04 - 15.25 ounces of a boxed white cake mix
05 - Gel food coloring, 3-4 shades recommended (blue, pink, and purple are great)

→ Filling and Decor

06 - 2 cups milk (the rest from the 3 cups overall)
07 - Sprinkles or candies, like Easter treats, for a final touch
08 - 8 ounces of Cool Whip or similar whipped topping, defrosted
09 - 3.4 ounces of instant vanilla pudding mix

# Instructions:

01 - Set your oven to 350°F. Spray a glass dish (9x13 size) lightly with nonstick spray. Push it to the side for now.
02 - Combine the cake mix, eggs (or whites only), oil, and 1 cup of milk. Whisk everything together until you get a smooth batter.
03 - Split the batter evenly across three bowls. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl, staring lightly and building up to get the color you want.
04 - Spoon the colored batter in big dollops across the sprayed pan, one color at a time. When it's all in, lightly swirl with a knife (but not too much—you don't want the colors blending too much).
05 - Put the dish in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick stuck in the middle mostly comes out clean, with just a couple crumbs sticking. Let the cake cool off completely.
06 - Once the cake has mostly cooled, grab the handle of a wooden spoon or use a dowel. Press into the cake and make holes about 2/3 into the cake’s depth, spacing them roughly an inch apart.
07 - Stir the pudding mix and the remaining 2 cups of milk together. Whisk for a minute or two, stopping once it thickens just a little. Pour evenly over the cake and spread it out, letting some pudding press into the holes.
08 - Pop the cake into the fridge for half an hour so the pudding sets. Then spread the Cool Whip on top, and sprinkle some candies or sprinkles over everything.

# Notes:

01 - Stick to egg whites if you’re aiming for pastel colors, as whole eggs might add yellow undertones.
02 - When using yellow batter, white chocolate pudding works better to not clash with the colors.
03 - Make it ahead by a day or two—it keeps well in the fridge till serving time.
04 - Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze without the toppings for up to 3 months.

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