Funfetti Layer Cake
Soft and moist vanilla cake with the ideal amount of rainbow sprinkles baked into each layer. Top it with vanilla buttercream for a classic party cake that's perfect for celebrating anything!
Servings 15 slices
Ingredients
Funfetti Cake
- 2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 Cups (340g) granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 Cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/3 Cup (60g) rainbow sprinkles**, coated in 1 tsp flour
Vanilla Buttercream
- 2 batches vanilla buttercream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray (Baker's Joy is my favorite) and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can grease and lightly flour the pans.
- In a medium bowl, add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and handheld mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle once in between. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about 10-15 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla and sour cream, then mix for one minute on high speed. Scrape down the bowl and paddle.
- Turn the mixer off and add the dry ingredients all at once, then mix on low speed. When the ingredients just begin to incorporate, add the milk slowly and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs by hand to make sure there are no large lumps.
- In a small bowl, coat the rainbow sprinkles with 1 teaspoon of flour (cake flour or all purpose flour). Then, gently fold the flour-coated rainbow sprinkles into the cake batter with a silicone spatula. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they're entirely room temperature before filling and frosting with vanilla buttercream (or frosting of your choice).
Notes
*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don't skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need.
**Rainbow Sprinkles: Be sure to use elongated rainbow sprinkles (jimmies) and look for carnauba wax and confectioner's glaze in the ingredients list. These two ingredients help coat the sprinkles and help prevent them from bleeding color into the batter. This is one of my go-to brands for funfetti recipes.
To Make Ahead: These cakes can be baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and left out at room temperature up to two days ahead of decorating. Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and frosting.
To Make As Cupcakes: Use this funfetti cupcakes recipe.
To Make As a Sheet Cake: Use this funfetti sheet cake recipe.
Previous Measurements: I originally posted this recipe in 2018 and it yielded four 6-inch cake layers or three 8-inch cake layers. Here are those measurements you can use along with the instructions above: 3 3/4 Cups (394g) sifted cake flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/8 Cups (254g) unsalted butter at room temperature, 2 1/2 Cups (500g) granulated white sugar, 5 large eggs at room temperature, 3/4 Cup (180g) sour cream at room temperature, 1 1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract, 1 1/2 Cups (360ml) whole milk at room temperature, 1/2 Cup (90g) rainbow sprinkles