If you have a celebration coming up, this funfetti cake recipe is for you. Fluffy and moist vanilla cake layers dotted with sprinkles and frosted with a super creamy vanilla buttercream. It’s the best funfetti cake ever, and you can learn how to make it from scratch with this detailed recipe.
Last week was my birthday and if you follow me on Instagram then you know that I like to celebrate my birthday like a 5 year old girl – with lots of sprinkles and pink vibes. Every year I make a chocolate cake for myself but this year I wanted something extra special so I made a festive funfetti birthday cake. I made a mini 6-inch cake although the recipe I’m sharing is for a 9-inch cake, a more common cake size (for a 6-inch cake I cut the cake ingredients by half and slightly reduced the baking time). It was the best week ever, filled with food and love from family and friends.
The Recipe
If you’ve read my white cake post, then you know I’ve been trying lots of different vanilla cake recipes lately. I’ve been looking for great white cakes and butter cakes, and the recipe I’m sharing today is the perfect match for this sprinkle cake, and the batter is easy to make. If you prefer a white cake, you can use my other recipe and add 3/4 cup sprinkles to the batter.
The Cake
I don’t think I need to convince you that this cake is gorgeous, but it also tastes delicious. It’s fluffy, tender, moist and buttery. For the best vanilla flavor I use pure vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla extract). I use buttermilk which gives the cake a moist texture. If buttermilk isn’t available, you can (1) use 1 cup of milk plus 1/2 cup sour cream instead of the buttermilk, or (2) make homemade buttermilk: take a measuring cup and pour in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Add milk until it reaches one cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. It will look curdled and that’s ok.
Probably the most important ingredient in this recipe is sprinkles. The best kind of sprinkles to use in cakes and cookies is jimmies and circle quins. I used these sprinkles. They don’t bleed to the batter and I like their popping colors and tasty flavor.
The Frosting
I use my vanilla buttercream frosting because it’s a classic combination. For a less sweet frosting you can use cream cheese frosting or chocolate fudge frosting. If you have leftover frosting you can decorate the top of the cake as you wish.
More Layer Cake Recipes:
- Ultimate White Cake
- Ultimate Chocolate Layer Cake
- Incredibly Moist Carrot Cake
- Black Forest Cake
- Boston Cream Pie
- My Favorite Red Velvet Cake
- 3 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (3 sticks/340 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk
- 3/4 cup sprinkles
- 1 and 1/2 cups (3 sticks/340 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 cups (600-700 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F/180 °C. Butter three 9-inch cake pans that are at least 2-inch high, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overmix this batter. The less you mix, the lighter the cake will be. Fold in sprinkles.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes, then gently remove from pan and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 5 cups powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
- Assembly: If the cakes rose too much, cut their rounded top with a knife to make them flat. Set one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Evenly spread a thick layer of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer and spread a thick layer of the frosting. Finish with the third cake layer. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Cake should be kept in the fridge, but bring it to room temperature before serving.
Frosting can be made 3 days ahead of time and kept in the fridge, covered. Cakes (unfrosted) can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge, covered. The next day, bring frosting to room temperature and frost the cake. Frosted cake can be kept tightly covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftovers can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months and thawed overnight in the fridge.
73 Comments
Kim
July 28, 2018 at 7:44 amWhen you halved recipe for 6” tins, how many eggs did you use?
Shiran
July 30, 2018 at 10:00 amHi Kim, you can use 3 medium eggs, or 2.5 large eggs. The half egg can be measured out by whisking an egg and using only half of it.
Shamim
March 7, 2019 at 8:19 pmCan I use two 9″ pan for this receipe please
Shiran
March 10, 2019 at 7:48 amThe recipe is best for a 3-layer cake. If you make 2 layers, they will be taller and will need extra baking time.
Kate
August 18, 2019 at 9:26 pmI did this and didn’t use 100% of the batter, it turned out delicious!
Nabila
July 29, 2018 at 7:07 pmHow can I turn this into a chocolate confetti cake? (As in adjusting flour, coco powder, and sugar?) My daughter always requests a chocolate cake with sprinkles, never a vanilla.
Also, happy belated birthday to my favorite baking blogger!!!
Shiran
July 30, 2018 at 10:06 amThank you so much, Nabila!! Since chocolate cakes are dark, it’s hard to see the sprinkles inside the cake, that’s why it’s always vanilla cake.
Nadya
August 2, 2018 at 12:15 amI am just so glad I stumbled upon your insta post and than discovered your blog!!! This is easily theeee BEST cake batter recipe I’ve ever encountered. I made the cake this afternoon and it came out so delicious and buttery and just melts in your mouth.! Ah it’s so good! Thank you so much
for sharing this recipe! And Happy Belated Birthday! ?
Shiran
August 2, 2018 at 12:58 pmI’m so glad you like it! Thank you!
Marsha
September 12, 2018 at 4:47 amWhen do you add the sprinklers in to the batter, please?
admin
September 12, 2018 at 12:01 pmOnce all the ingredients are mixed, fold in the sprinkles into the batter.
aya
October 8, 2018 at 10:36 amcan i replace the sprinkle with chocolate chip? please help thanks
aya
October 8, 2018 at 10:39 amhow much 1 cup sprinkle in gram?
can i leave out the sprinkle to make vanilla cake?
Shiran
October 9, 2018 at 11:17 amI don’t know exactly how much grams are in a cup of sprinkles. You can leave it out or use chocolate chips.
Eva
October 14, 2018 at 5:35 amHI this is Eva you’re recipe is so good
Nabila
November 2, 2018 at 2:36 pmCan I turn this cake into cupcakes? How many cupcakes would it make?
Thanks
My daughter wants funfetti cupcakes, wasn’t sure if I should use this recipe or make the plain vanilla cupcakes and add sprinkles
Shiran
November 4, 2018 at 8:31 amI recommend using the vanilla cupcake recipe and add sprinkles to it.
Abhi
November 3, 2018 at 11:18 pmHi,
Since I have one pan and one small oven, can you let me know the quantity for one baking one layer at time? Do I quater the recipe?
Shiran
November 4, 2018 at 8:26 amIt depends on the size of your pan and how tall it is. Make sure to fill the cake pan no more than 2/3-3/4 full with cake batter. There are three layers in the recipe so you can do this three times if you’re using the same pan size (9-inch), or twice to make a two layer cake.
Emily
November 18, 2018 at 12:12 pmWhich brand of sprinkles do you use? Yours have a good colours I’m worried about buying just any brand and them not showing up well.
Thanks,
Emily
Shiran
November 18, 2018 at 3:00 pmHi Emily, there’s a link in the post above. These are the sprinkles I used.
sweetbaker
November 27, 2018 at 11:02 amHow high is the cake once assembled?
Shiran
November 29, 2018 at 1:09 pmI don’t know exactly, sorry!
Lisa
December 3, 2018 at 7:58 pmHi there can you swap the sprinkles for popping candy in the batter? would it work well?
thanks, Lisa
Shiran
December 7, 2018 at 1:33 pmHi Lisa, I haven’t tried using popping candy, but in general, you can replace the sprinkles with any other add-in you like.
Brianna Wing
December 17, 2018 at 9:20 pmHi! If making this cake in a 9X13 do you know how to adjust for bake time/oven temp?
Shiran
December 18, 2018 at 8:23 amHi Brianna, I don’t know what’s the exact baking time, but the temperature will be the same.
Elodie
January 13, 2019 at 3:32 amHi ,
What substitute can i used for buttermilk please ?
We never find buttermilk in Mauritius ! 🙁
Thanks
Have a nice day
Elodie
Shiran
January 20, 2019 at 10:34 amIf you google it you’ll find a substitute that uses milk and lemon juice, so you can use it 🙂
Sara
January 23, 2019 at 4:20 pmI do not have a standing mixer, will a hand mixer work for this recipe ?
Shiran
February 6, 2019 at 5:42 amYes, you can use a hand mixer.
Emily
January 24, 2019 at 12:13 amCan I use 8” cake pans instead?
Shiran
February 6, 2019 at 5:39 amYes, just make sure not to fill them with too much batter, so it won’t overflow during baking.
ALISIA PEREZ
January 29, 2019 at 9:28 pmI just made this last night, followed the recipe to a T, and it is the BEST funfetti cake i have ever tasted! Perfectly moist and super buttery as promised. Easy recipe to follow. Thank you so much for sharing, can’t wait to try your other stuff! 🙂
Alison Jakaitis
January 30, 2019 at 9:21 amHi – the edges of your cake look so good! Did you shave the edges off so they weren’t browned from the pan?
Shiran
February 6, 2019 at 5:23 amI used cake strips. It does the trick!
Kirsty
February 9, 2019 at 2:02 amHi came a cross your recipe i have only got two 12 inch round cake tins. Do I need to double the recipe to use the 12 inch cake tins.
Thanks
Mary
February 14, 2019 at 12:11 amDo you think I could make the same amount of batter for 3 6″ tins, but use 2 layers in 9″ tins instead? Thank you!! Eager to try this.
Shiran
March 10, 2019 at 7:47 amHi Mary. For a 6-inch cake you’ll need to use half the amount of ingredients. This recipe is best for a 3-layer cake. If you make 2 layers, they will be taller and need extra baking time.
Zeinab
February 18, 2019 at 3:17 pmTried this and it was my first time making Funfetti. Sooo good!!
Madison
February 21, 2019 at 9:43 pmHi, I’m making a cake for my friend’s wedding, but she wants four 9 inch layers. How should i go about changing this recipe to fit those four 9 inch layers?
Thanks!
Shiran
February 22, 2019 at 12:16 pmYou can use this recipe to make 4 layers, or multiply the recipe as you wish to make a taller cake.
K-gurl
March 31, 2019 at 5:23 pmSafiya Nygard used your recipe!!! She’s a super famous youtuber!!! Check out her video! I’ll have to try this recipe sometime. 😉
Isabella
April 1, 2019 at 1:48 pmI just wanna say thanks for you actually taking the time to put the measurements in grams and milliliters and the temperatures in Celsius. As a non- American, this is super important to me when following a recipe. Thank you.
Kate Mock
April 2, 2019 at 2:01 amBest recipe I’ve used and I’m a very picky baker! I hadn’t baked a cake in awhile, usually cupcakes is my norm. But, my friend requested a “Funfetti Cake” for his 34th birthday (store bought box mix tastes like my childhood which I love but I just can’t) so I looked up a new recipe to try from scratch. I followed it perfectly except I baked an addition 15 minutes due to my oven. THIS CAKE WAS AMAZING. I cooled the cakes, chilled the frosting a bit and when I frosted it all I put it back in the fridge. By the time we ate it, it was harder but not so much so you couldn’t eat it right away. Perfection. Not too sweet. The stiffness from having it in the fridge actually enhanced it. Also made it look pretty when it was cut because the slice was perfect. I’ll be using this for any and all future (white) cakes! Thank you!
Isabella
April 7, 2019 at 7:13 amHi I only have one 7-inch pan will the recipe still work or will I have to do four layers?
Shiran
April 11, 2019 at 4:20 amI recommend 4 layers, and the cake will be taller.
Jessica
April 10, 2019 at 6:45 pmI made this and got rave reviews. My husband loved it and he usually hates most desserts. The cake was very moist and delicious.
Kaitlyn
April 12, 2019 at 10:24 pmso when i made it my cake turned out brown/yellow cake instead of white the only thing i did differently was use regular milk alone instead of buttermilk can someone explain to me why it wasn’t the same color
Cassandra
April 23, 2019 at 12:52 pmHi!
I use a Kitchenaid. When I’m making the cake should I always use the whisk attachment, or should I switch it, and if yes, then when?
I’m from Denmark, so it’s sometimes hard to know which attachment I should use (when the KitchenAid should be used). That is also why it’s hard to understand the meaning with “to beat”
Zaima
May 1, 2019 at 6:56 amAfter seeing Safiya’s video I decided I want to try this recipe but roughly how many servings is it?
angie
May 6, 2019 at 1:09 pmcould this recipe be used for a half sheet cake (13×18)?
Terri
May 25, 2019 at 4:41 pmLoved the recipe and cake was very good. Your buttercream looks very white. I followed your instructions exactly as to the time and speed to beat the butter etc. How did you get your buttercream almost white. My turned out pale cream vs white. Thanks.
Martha
May 30, 2019 at 10:00 amI made this cake for my husbands birthday, he loves sprinkles. It turned out beautiful, I used two 9 in pans and it took another 10/15 minutes of baking. The cake and the frosting were among our favorites and will be added to my recipe collection , to be made often!
Marieanna
June 3, 2019 at 8:12 amCake turned out beautiful. Did a trial run. Tastes amazing. I have a 7 inch going to do 4 layers. How many people will this feed?
Abbie
June 11, 2019 at 4:18 pmHi! I found this recipe to be amazing and I was wondering if you could make this recipe into cupcakes. My cousin’s birthday is today and I already made his cake, but I need to know a good vanilla cupcake recipe. Anything I need to change before making them into cupcakes?
Shiran
July 23, 2019 at 8:57 amYes you can 🙂
Kaitlin O'Neill
June 22, 2019 at 1:45 pmAMAZING. I had never made a homemade Funfetti cake before this, and I now know which recipe I’ll be using for my future baking endeavors.
Sanika Alurkar
June 24, 2019 at 4:35 amHii shiran if i plan to cook or rather bake this in a pressure cooker instead of ovenhow much time will it need to bake it?
kat_21@hotmail.com
June 28, 2019 at 12:37 amI’m really excited to make this for my daughter’s first birthday! Any tips if I needed to make the recipe on a larger scale (needing 30-40 coffee slice).
Thanks!
Kat
Liza Hefele
July 3, 2019 at 5:23 pmHi! I am planning on using this recipe for a birthday. I am not sure if I should go with the white cake recipe you suggested or this one? I am looking for a very moist, delicious cake. I do want it buttery, but I love the look of a clean white cake.
Thanks!
Shiran
July 17, 2019 at 3:07 amBoth are great, it depends on personal taste. I really love my white cake recipe!
Lauren
July 9, 2019 at 12:31 pmHow do you get the edges to come out exposed? I know you referenced using cake strips for baking but I am unclear how you get the brown edges from baking removed in order to expose the interior of the cake. Thanks so much for the clarification! My daughter wants me to make this cake for her party next week.
Hadley
July 17, 2019 at 4:10 pmThis cake was simple to make and it tastes AMAZING!!
Hadley
July 17, 2019 at 4:18 pmBest funfetti cake EVER!!! It was moist and delicious. I loved it!
Ranjit
August 20, 2019 at 5:21 amHi
I’d like to make this cake in three 8″ pans, could you tell me how much I should reduce the ingredients by?
Thanks
Bianca
September 5, 2019 at 10:31 amHey how do I make this a chocolate buttercream?
samara
September 17, 2019 at 7:41 pmHi i was wondering I wanted to make 1 cake how much ingredients will I need
Hannie
October 13, 2019 at 9:41 pmMade the cake for my daughter’s birthday. The cake portion was great. Came out moist and everything held together really well. The buttercream was way too sweet, though. I would use the cake recipe again but with a less sweeter frosting.
Nadine
November 13, 2019 at 5:32 pmI really would like to try this recipe! 3 cups are equal to 360 grams, right? Did you weigh your ingredients or did you use cup measurements when you made the recipe?
Shiran
November 17, 2019 at 2:20 amI always weigh the ingredients. The way I measure it – 1 cup of flour equals 140g.
Susan
November 24, 2019 at 7:25 amI have tried this recipe two times and whatever I do, the sprinkles always melt and make the cake one solid color. Is there a way to solve this or a specific type of sprinkles I need to use?
Shiran
November 28, 2019 at 11:00 amHi Susan, it can happen because not all sprinkles work well in baked goods. I use these ones and they are perfect for it!