Name: Rainbow Bread
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 12 slices
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 cup water*; 1 tbsp honey*; 19.5 ounces all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup water; 1.25 teaspoons fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons honey*; 0.5 tbsp white vinegar; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; Gel food coloring

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Rainbow Bread

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Ingredients

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Instructions

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Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of honey, and yeast. Stir gently and allow to sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast. After 10 minutes, there should be foam at the top.

To the bowl with the yeast mixture, add in the flour, ½ cup of water, sea salt, honey, vinegar, and melted butter. Using the dough hook, turn the stand mixer to low until a dough forms, about a minute. Turn the speed up 1 notch (3 on the stand mixer), and knead the dough for 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and cut it into 6 even pieces (it doesn’t need to be exact).

Working with one section of dough at a time, add a few drops of food coloring to the dough (I highly suggest wearing gloves for this part) and fold the dough over so that the food coloring is in the middle. Add 3 more drops (roughly) and fold the dough over again. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until the food coloring is fully combined and the dough is getting smooth. HERE is a link for how to knead dough. You can also do this in the food process, wiping down any excess food coloring in between colors.

Repeat this step with the remaining 5 sections of dough. Lightly grease 6 different bowls and place the dough balls in the bowls. Cover and let rise for 1.5-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Take each dough ball and, on a floured surface, press it out into an oval that’s roughly the length of your dough pan (8×4). Stack the colors on top of each other and press down to kind of seal them together. Roll the dough tightly, starting at one long end, until fully rolled up (see video for reference). Place the dough in a greased 8×4 loaf pan, seem side down, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

30 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the bread is browned on the top and reaches a temperature of about 195 degrees in the center.

Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing open. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days and ENJOY!

Notes

Water- the water should be around 98-100 degrees

Honey- you can sub this for white sugar as desired.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Pre-Mix Your Colors 🎨
Prepare all gel food coloring diluted in small bowls of water before starting to knead, so you can work efficiently and avoid the dough from over-proofing while you're mixing colors.
Use Gel Over Liquid Dyes 💧
Gel food coloring produces vibrant, true rainbow colors without adding excess moisture that would affect dough hydration, unlike liquid food coloring which can make the dough sticky and difficult to work with.
Knead Colors Gently Into Portions 🌈
Divide your dough into six equal portions and knead each color in separately by hand rather than using a mixer—this prevents over-mixing and gives you better control over color intensity and even distribution.
Stack and Roll for Perfect Spirals 🌀
After the first rise, gently stack each colored dough layer on top of the other, then roll tightly into a log to create beautiful rainbow spirals throughout the loaf when sliced.
Proof in a Warm, Moist Environment 🌡️
Place your shaped loaf in a proofing box or large plastic bag with a damp towel to maintain consistent warmth and humidity, which ensures even rising and prevents the exterior from drying out and cracking.