Print

Funfetti Cake Recipe

Funfetti Cake Recipe

5.2 from 16 reviews

This Funfetti Cake is a delightful celebration of color and flavor, featuring moist layers of vanilla cake studded with rainbow jimmies sprinkles and topped with creamy vanilla buttercream. Perfect for birthdays and festive occasions, this cake combines the classic softness of a homemade vanilla cake with a fun, colorful twist. The cake layers are tender and rich, enriched with sour cream and buttermilk for extra moisture, while the buttercream frosting is smooth, sweet, and studded with even more sprinkles for a whimsical finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (110ml) vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cups (435g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (125g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup (225ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (140g) rainbow jimmies sprinkles

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups (330g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 23 tbsp milk
  • 1/2 cup (90g) sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line the bottoms of three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. You can use 8-inch pans but reduce batter by 1 cup and only fill pans just over halfway to prevent sinking. Optionally, line pans with cake strips for even baking.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
  4. Add oil: With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the vegetable or canola oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly to combine.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. After the eggs, add the vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl down after every two eggs to ensure even mixing.
  6. Add sour cream: Mix in the full-fat sour cream until fully incorporated into the batter.
  7. Combine buttermilk and dry ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry). Mix gently after each addition until just combined.
  8. Fold in sprinkles: Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, mixing the batter gently. Fold in the rainbow jimmies sprinkles carefully to avoid color bleeding.
  9. Fill pans and bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake 9-inch pans for 30-35 minutes or 8-inch pans for 35-40 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Cool cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and turn them out onto wire racks. Remove parchment paper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before assembling or wrap and store overnight if making ahead.
  11. Make buttercream frosting: Beat the room temperature butter in a mixer with a whisk attachment until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, about one cup at a time, mixing well between additions. Add vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk as the mixture thickens. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if frosting is too thick. Beat until light and fluffy.
  12. Assemble cake: Level the chilled cake layers if necessary. Spread a thin layer of buttercream between each layer. Apply a thin crumb coat all over the cake to seal in crumbs and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  13. Frost and decorate: Apply the remaining buttercream evenly over the cake’s surface. Decorate with additional sprinkles as desired. Serve and enjoy your funfetti celebration cake!

Notes

  • Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for best mixing and texture.
  • Using cake strips helps the cakes bake evenly and avoid doming.
  • Gently fold in sprinkles to prevent their colors from bleeding into the batter.
  • Do not overfill cake pans to prevent sinking in the middle.
  • For a moister cake, do not overbake; begin checking doneness at the minimum baking time.
  • Chilling the cakes before frosting helps create clean, professional-looking layers.
  • Buttercream can be adjusted in thickness by adding milk one tablespoon at a time.
  • Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Funfetti Cake, birthday cake, sprinkle cake, vanilla cake, buttercream frosting