Funfetti Cake Recipe

As you get older, the wild excitement that comes with your birthday may not be quite as thrilling as it was when you were a child. From the balloons and party grab bags to digging into a huge slice of your favorite cake, birthday parties still rank as some of the best days of childhood for many.

If you had the luxury of requesting any flavor of cake for those parties, chances are, funfetti was in the mix. There are countless people with strong memories of slicing into a funfetti cake topped with plenty of vanilla frosting and sprinkles for their birthday. It's a total classic, and it's packed with nostalgia.

Now, you can ditch the box mix and make your own from-scratch at home. With a simple vanilla cake recipe, you can add all the rainbow sprinkles you need to celebrate a birthday, an achievement, or just a normal weekday afternoon.

Gather the ingredients for this funfetti cake recipe

To get started on making a funfetti cake of your own at home, first gather all of the ingredients ahead of time. For this funfetti cake recipe, you'll need two cups of white sugar, two cups of flour, two and a quarter teaspoons of baking powder, two and a quarter teaspoons of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, three eggs, three-quarters of a cup of oil, one cup of milk, one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, one teaspoon of pure almond extract, and a cup of rainbow sprinkles.

For the frosting to top your funfetti cake, you'll need a stick of unsalted butter, softened, five to six cups of powdered sugar, two tablespoons of milk, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Mix the dry ingredients for this funfetti cake recipe

Once your ingredients are ready, it's time to start the cake batter for your funfetti cake. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so it's heated up to the proper temperature once your batter is ready.

In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix to combine. You can use a hand mixer for this recipe, or you can opt to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Be sure to mix all of the dry ingredients well until they're combined and free of any clumps.

Add in the wet ingredients for this funfetti cake recipe

Once your funfetti cake dry ingredients are all mixed together, it's time to add in the wet ingredients for your cake batter. First, add in the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are mixed in, add in the oil and mix. Lastly, mix in the milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Mix your batter until it's just combined, and be sure not to over-mix. Over-mixing your cake batter will cause the gluten in the flour to develop too much, ultimately resulting in a dry, dense cake.

Add the sprinkles and bake the funfetti cakes

Mix in a cup of your favorite rainbow sprinkles to the batter. Be sure you're using rainbow jimmies, rather than crystal sugar or another smaller sprinkle option. The large rainbow jimmies will add that vibrant pop of color to your funfetti cake we all know and love.

Once you've added the sprinkles, your batter is ready for baking. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with a round cut-out piece of parchment. Spray the can pans with cooking spray as well to be sure your cake doesn't stick. Bake the cakes for 26 minutes until the tops are set and lightly golden brown. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven to fully cool.

Make the frosting for this funfetti cake recipe

While your cakes cool, make the frosting for your funfetti cake. Add the stick of softened butter into a large mixing bowl. Use your hand mixer to make the frosting, or utilize a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Whip the butter until light and fluffy, and then add in two cups of powdered sugar. Mix the butter and sugar, and then add in two tablespoons of milk and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continue gradually adding powdered sugar while mixing until the frosting comes together. Once the frosting has formed, turn the speed up on the mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.

Assemble the funfetti cake

Once your funfetti cakes are completely cooled, they're ready to assemble. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand, plate, or cardboard cake round. Add a generous amount of frosting on top, and then top with the second cake layer. Frost your cake using a flat spatula or use a piping bag fitted with an icer tip. Scrape the frosting with an icing scraper to get the naked look. Top the cake with plenty of rainbow sprinkles to make it colorful and festive for any occasion. 

Funfetti Cake Recipe
5 from 27 ratings
Fitch the box mix and make your own funfetti cake at home. With a simple vanilla cake recipe, you can add all the rainbow sprinkles you need to celebrate.
Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
26
minutes
Servings
10
slices
funfetti cake
Total time: 46 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup oil
  • 1 cup milk (plus 2 tablespoons for frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (plus 1 teaspoon for frosting)
  • 1 cup rainbow sprinkles
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 5 to 6 cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the white sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well combined.
  3. Add in the eggs one at a time and continue mixing.
  4. Add in the oil, mix, and then add in the milk. Continue mixing, and then add in the vanilla extract and almond extract. Be sure not to over-mix.
  5. Mix in the rainbow sprinkles.
  6. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans with a circular piece of parchment paper in the bottom. Spray the sides with cooking spray to prevent the cake from sticking. Bake the cakes for 26 minutes until set. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and allow to fully cool.
  7. To make the frosting for the cake, add 1 stick of softened butter into a mixing bowl. Whip the butter until fluffy, and then add in 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix the butter and sugar, and then add in 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Continue gradually adding powdered sugar and mixing until the frosting comes together. Once formed, turn the speed up on the mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.
  8. To assemble your cooled cakes, place the first cake layer on a cake stand, plate, or cardboard cake round. Add a generous amount of frosting on top, and then top with the second cake layer. Frost your cake using a flat spatula or use a piping bag fitted with an icer tip. Scrape the frosting with an icing scraper to get the naked look. Top the cake with plenty of rainbow sprinkles to finish its colorful look.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 842
Total Fat 27.8 g
Saturated Fat 7.9 g
Trans Fat 0.4 g
Cholesterol 74.7 mg
Total Carbohydrates 146.5 g
Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
Total Sugars 125.9 g
Sodium 509.0 mg
Protein 5.1 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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