Buddy Valastro's Famous Rainbow Cake Is Six Layers of Classic, Colorful Nostalgia

As a Millennial, I have a lot of fond nostalgia for TLC shows. Maybe a lot of those shows didn’t hold up to the test of time (nor did they age well), but Cake Boss isn’t one of those. And while I’ve been to the Carlo’s Bakery location in Times Square (what Cake Boss fan wouldn’t while visiting NYC?), I haven’t really gotten the chance to try much from Valastro’s bakery. At least until now.

In preparation for Valastro’s two new A&E Network shows, Legends of the Fork and Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty, premiering Nov. 11, A&E and Carlo’s Bake Shop sent me a rainbow cake, which made me wonder: How does a cake from Carlo's Bakery taste? As someone who is a Cake Boss fan and also eats a decent amount of cake, I'm totally qualified for this review. Would the cake live up to the hype? There was only one way to find out.

Related: 'Cake Boss' Star Buddy Valastro Reveals 40-Lb Transformation

What is Buddy Valastro of ‘Cake Boss’ up to Now?

Let's start at the start, shall we? Cake Boss starred Carlo's Bake Shop owner Buddy Valastro, his family and his most loyal employees and followed the crew as they created some outrageously big and complex cakes. The show ran from 2009 to 2017 on TLC and from 2019 to 2020 on Discovery Family.

Valastro fans will be happy to know that Buddy's back with not one but two new shows on A&E. The first is Legends of the Fork, where Valastro visits some of the country's most beloved restaurants and the second is Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty, which continues in the tradition of Cake Boss by going behind the scenes at Carlo’s Bake Shop.

What Does Carlo’s Bakery Rainbow Cake Look Like?

Before receiving this cake, I wasn’t aware (probably naively so) that Carlo’s Bakery shipped their goodies nationwide. And I definitely didn’t know that they sold an Instagram-ready rainbow cake. To remind you, I am a self-described expert in cake—and rainbow cake in particular—so I was extra excited to give this a try.

The cake comes packaged in a styrofoam cooler with dry ice to keep it frozen in transit. The first thing you need to know is that this cake is a lesson in patience. You need to let the cake thaw in the fridge for three hours, then sit at room temperature for one hour before digging in.

Presentation-wise, the six-inch cake was obviously colorful. The sprinkles aren’t as perfectly placed as on the website, but that’s to be expected and didn’t take away from the overall look. It comes in a tiny Carlo’s Bake Shop box, which is pretty cute, and sat on a golden cake board.

It was a little tricky removing the cake from the box and there were a lot of loose sprinkles that made it a bit messy too. Plus, I think I should have waited a bit longer to cut into it because the icing wasn’t fully thawed, which didn’t allow for a clean cut. If I'd followed Buddy’s Tips, one of which suggests running the cake knife under hot water before cutting, I might have gotten a cleaner slice. Amateur move on my part, I know.

Related: 50 Best Rainbow Food & Drink Recipes for Pride

Carlo’s Bakery Rainbow Cake Taste Test

Okay, getting into what you all came here to find out, how does a cake from Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro taste?

Starting with the cake itself, the six vanilla cake layers are each a different color and the cake is very moist, which was a pleasant surprise considering it had been frozen.

The frosting was unfortunately still a tad hard from being frozen, which (again) made it hard to get a clean cut. The hard frosting was an odd contrast with the moistness of the cake, though nothing that’s too different than other cakes with a firmer frosting. If you're a fan of soft, fluffy buttercream frosting, this might not be the cake for you.

I liked that the frosting was on the less-sweet side, which is my preference. Like most layer cakes, there's frosting on the top and sides, plus some between each cake layer, so you get a fair amount of frosting with each slice. The frosting was buttery with a bit of something that tasted like cream cheese, though the website described it as "sweet vanilla icing."

Related: I Tried Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake Recipe

My Honest Thoughts on Carlo’s Bake Shop Rainbow Cake

Despite some of my criticisms of the cake, it was enjoyable overall. The cake isn't too sweet and has a moist center that's pretty yummy. It’s nothing spectacular, but if you like vanilla cake and icing—and love the rainbow cake look—you’d most likely enjoy it too.

Bottom line: The Carlo's Bakery rainbow cake is worth the price ($40 plus shipping) and hassle of shipping if you're sending it to a major Cake Boss fan. The thin sleeve the cake is wrapped in says “Carlo’s Bakery” all around, and the cute little box has a drawing of the bakery as well, making it a fun gift for Buddy fans. If the Cake Boss isn't a big draw for you, you can likely find a good (or better) rainbow cake at a bakery near you.

Next up, read up on Buddy Valastro's recovery after seriously injuring his hand at a bowling alley.