This is the BEST 8 inch cake recipe you'll ever make! Soft, fluffy, and studded with rainbow sprinkles, this vanilla cake is perfect for any or no occasion at all!
When I'm crunched for time, birthday cake cookies and birthday cake brownies are my go-to favorites for special occasions.
However, when I really want to impress, this soft and fluffy 8-inch cake is my go-to!
This is the best vanilla cake recipe as it is not too sweet and is covered in silky smooth vanilla buttercream.
It has a soft and moist crumb that stays soft for days and is easier to make than you think!
It's perfect for making a round layer cake and can easily be decorated for any special occasion.
If you need a smaller cake, earl grey cake is one of my absolute favorites!
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why you'll love this 8 inch cake recipe
- A soft, tender, and fluffy cake
- The perfect size cake for parties or occasions with friends and family
- The best vanilla flavor
- Rainbow sprinkles throughout like the classic funfetti boxed cake!
ingredient notes
- Cake flour: This recipe uses cake flour and can NOT be substituted. I made this recipe with regular all-purpose flour and the texture was very dry and crumbly because of the reverse mixing method.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best but you can substitute it with salted and leave out the measured salt.
- Canola oil: You can substitute the canola oil with vegetable oil or any other neutral flavored oil.
- Confetti sprinkles: You must use rainbow jimmies and not non-perils. The non-perils will bleed into the batter and it will turn out grey in color!
- Milk: Whole milk is preferred but you could substitute 2%.
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
instructions
Before you start: Grab three 8-inch pans. Grease and line just the bottom of the pans with butter and a round of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F/165 C.
Step 1: Whisk together half of the milk and the canola oil in a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix together the cake flour, sugar, kosher salt, and baking powder with the paddle attachment on low speed until well combined.
Add the cubed butter and mix on low for about 30-40 seconds until it looks crumbly and resembles coarse sand.
Step 3: Stream the milk and oil mixture into the bowl and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, until it looks smooth and white in color. Set a timer to ensure the batter gets mixed long enough, this mixing time is critical for creating the structure!
Step 4: Whisk together the whole eggs, vanilla extract, and the other half of the milk, then stream it into the bowl while mixing at low speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then mix one last time until everything looks homogenous.
Add the rainbow confetti sprinkles to the mixing bowl and use a rubber spatula to gently fold them into the batter.
Step 5: Evenly distribute the cake batter into the prepared 8-inch cake pans. I highly recommend using a scale to do this! Each pan should hold about 500 grams of batter. Bake the layers on the middle rack in the oven at 325 F/165 C for about 25 minutes or until the top springs back when touched. You can also use a cake tester or toothpick in the center to check for doneness.
Step 6: Let the cake layers cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. The cake should start to pull away from the sides of the pan as it cools. Gently knock each layer out and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Step 7: Place one cake round right side up on a serving platter or cardboard cake round that is at least 1-2 inches wider than the cake. Add about ½-2/3 cups of buttercream to the center of the cake and spread it evenly over the top.
Step 8: Add the next layer in the same way. Flip the top cake layer upside down so that the top of the cake is completely flat. Gently press it into the buttercream to secure it, then make sure the cake is level and not lopsided.
Step 9: Spread a thin coat over the outside of the cake as the crumb coat. Chill the cake in the fridge or freezer until set, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the buttercream. Pipe dollops of buttercream on the top of the cake, then sprinkle with more rainbow jimmies on top and gently press them into the sides.
expert cake baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. If you do not own a scale, make sure to use the spoon measure method!
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Baking time variations: All ovens vary in temperature, I recommend keeping an eye on the layers while they are baking. If you have hot spots in your oven, you should carefully rotate the pans halfway through baking.
variations
- Buttercream: Want a complete funfetti cake? Mix ¼ cup of sprinkles into the buttercream before frosting. You could also frost it with chocolate buttercream!
- Cake: Want just a plain vanilla cake? Feel free to leave the sprinkles out. For a vanilla bean cake, replace the vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste for even more vanilla flavor.
storage & freezing instructions
- Fridge: I recommend storing the frosted cake in the fridge, especially in the summer when your home is warm. Once cut, stick a piece of parchment paper to the exposed part to keep it from drying out. If stored properly, the cake will stay fresh and moist for up to one week.
- Freezer: You can freeze both the whole and sliced cake for up to one month in the freezer. If you are storing it whole, I recommend keeping it in a cake carrier or some kind of large container to keep it from getting stale.
- Make ahead: Planning to make the cake ahead of time? Wrap each in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer until you are ready to frost the cake.
TOP TIP: Cut it into slices, then place them on a baking tray in the freezer for 10 minutes until solid. Then you can wrap each slice in plastic wrap and either freeze them or keep them in the fridge.
faq's
Unfortunately, you can not substitute the cake flour. I tried making this recipe with regular flour but the cake ends up super crumbly and resembles cornbread!
If you are worried it will stick to the pan, feel free to grease the entire pan and not just the bottom!
Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that results in a uniform texture and even baking.
The cakes are done baking when you top the top and it gently springs back. The cake will also start to pull away from the sides of the pan while baking which is a great indication that they are done!
I have not used this amount of batter to bake a 9-inch cake, but it's definitely possible! Fill the cake pans just over halfway full to keep them from collapsing in the oven.
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Recipe 📖
8 Inch Vanilla Funetti Cake
Ingredients
cake ingredients
- 1 â…“ cup whole milk
- ½ cup canola oil
- 3 â…” cup cake flour *SEE NOTES*
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup rainbow jimmy sprinkles
- simple syrup for brushing the cake layers
vanilla buttercream ingredients
- 2 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
making the cakes
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F/165 C. Grease the bottoms of the cake pans and then line them with a round of parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and about half of the milk.1 ⅓ cup whole milk, ½ cup canola oil
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a 5-quart mixing bowl and mix on low with the paddle until combined.3 ⅔ cup cake flour, 1 ¾ cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the cubed butter to the mixing bowl and mix on low until it's crumbly and looks like coarse sand.1 cup unsalted butter
- With the mixer running on low, stream in the milk and oil mixture.
- Increase to medium speed and mix for exactly 2 minutes.
- Then whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and the rest of the milk.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs
- With the mixer running on low, slowly stream the egg mixture into the bowl until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for another 10-20 seconds until everything is homogenous.
- Add the rainbow sprinkles and fold them gently into the batter with a rubber spatula.½ cup rainbow jimmy sprinkles
- Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pans, it's best to do this with a scale. Each pan should have about 500 grams of batter.
- Smooth the batter with a small offset spatula to fill the pans, then bake them for about 25 minutes or until the tops bounce back when touched.
- Let the pans cool for 5 minutes on a cooling rack. The cake should start to pull away from the sides of the pans as they cool. Carefully knock out each layer and then let them cool competely on the rack.
making the buttercream
- In a mixing bowl, mix the soft butter on low for 1 minute until smooth and lump free.2 ½ cups unsalted butter
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined, then add in the rest of the sugar. Once there is no more dry sugar, increase the speed to high and mix for 5 minutes or until the buttercream is pure white and very fluffy.4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Then add the milk and vanilla to the bowl and mix on low until combined.2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon whole milk
assembling the cake
- Place the first layer right side up on a serving plate or cardboard cake round that is 1-2 inches wider than the cake.
- Brush the top of the cake layer lightly with some simple syrup.
- Add ½-2/3 cup of buttercream on top of the layer and use an offset spatula to evenly smooth it over the top. Continue with the next layer following the same steps as the first.
- Place the last layer upside down so that the top is super flat.
- Frost the entire cake with a very thin layer of buttercream for the crumb coat. This will trap any peices of cake from getting into the final layer of buttercream. Let it chill in the fridge or freezer until the frosting is set.
- Frost the entire cake in a thicker layer of buttercream, leaving some extra for decorating.
- Use a piping bag with a star tip to pipe dollops of buttercream on top of the cake.
- Press more rainbow sprinkles onto the sides and sprinkle them on top of the buttercream dollops.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. If you do not own a scale, make sure to use the spoon measure method!
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Baking time variations: All ovens vary in temperature, I recommend keeping an eye on the layers while they are baking. If you have hot spots in your oven, you should carefully rotate the pans halfway through baking.
- Buttercream: Want a complete funfetti cake? Mix ¼ cup of sprinkles into the buttercream before frosting. You could also frost it with chocolate buttercream!
- Cake: Want just a plain vanilla cake? Feel free to leave the sprinkles out. For a vanilla bean cake, replace the vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste for even more vanilla flavor.
- Storage: Cut any leftover cake into slices, then place them on a baking tray in the freezer for 10 minutes until solid. Then you can wrap each slice in plastic wrap and either freeze them or keep them in the fridge for later!
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Aimee says
Followed the recipe exactly and came out great, everyone loved!
kate says
soooo moist and fluffy. best recipe i’ve used
Marissa says
So excited to make this this weekend! Couple questions: 1) could I swap extra creamy oat milk (or oat milk/coconut half and half) for dairy milk? 2) is using gel colors okay for this buttercream frosting or would it seize up?
Thank you for all your help?! Love your recipes!
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Marissa! I haven't tested it, but I think oat milk/coconut half-and-half should work fine! And you can definitely use gel colors, just make sure to use a little at a time so you don't add too much since gel is so concentrated. Let me know if you have any other questions, looking forward to hearing how it turns out! 🙂
Amy says
Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again. My baking time was a good bit longer, but I followed instructions on when to remove and it turned out perfect!
Cambrea Gordon says
Yay! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review Amy! 🙂
Lizzy says
Hi!
Would this recipe work for cupcakes?
Thanks!
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Lizzy! I haven't tried using it for cupcakes yet, but I'm sure it would work! You may need to watch them while they bake as the bake time will be different 🙂
Lizzy says
Thank you!!
Emma says
This looks amazing!
If making ahead of time, does it need to be in an air tight container in the fridge?
When freezing the full cake, how do you defrost without it getting condensation or affecting how it looks?
Going to try this for my MIL’s 70th and would be great to do early. Thank you!
Cambrea Gordon says
I would keep it in a sealed cake container in the fridge if you have one to hold it! If it's in the fridge for just a day it should be okay out of a container, but for more than one day it may start to take on a stale fridge taste which is why I recommend some kind of container!
After freezing the cake, place it in the fridge to defrost the day before, this will keep it from getting those water condensation drops on the outside. Let me know if you have any more questions! 🙂
Tara says
This cake is not only visually stunning but also so fluffy and tasty!
Cambrea Gordon says
Thank you Tara!
Cara says
I tend to rely too heavily on cake mixes, but decided to give this a try because I was making it for a special occasion. This is my new go-to party cake! It came together perfectly and everyone raved about it -- thank you!!
Cambrea Gordon says
Yay! Thanks so much for trying it Cara, I'm so glad everyone loved it!
Tara says
Such a fun and delicious cake! I love that soft and fluffy texture paired with all the sprinkles.
Holley says
This is the perfect cake for a birthday celebration! It's fun, festive and delicious!
Heather says
Funfetti is hands down my favorite cake! The kid in me in can't help it. Can't wait to make this funfetti layer cake because it looks like perfection!
Chloe says
Hi! My niece loves funfetti and I want to make her this cake for her birthday! I’ve seen a lot of people add simple syrup to their cake layers before assembling to keep them moist. Do you recommend that with this cake? Thank you! Can’t wait to make it!
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Chloe! You can absolutely brush a simple syrup on the cake layers to keep them moist. I actually had that in the recipe but forgot to include it when writing the post. I'll update it right now 🙂 Let me know what you think when you make it! Cam
Samantha says
This cake was wonderful! The crumb was so tender and soft, we added extra sprinkles to the frosting and it was a hit! I will definitely be making this recipe again.