Skip the bakery lines and forget the boxed mix because this homemade funfetti cake is better than anything you can buy. I’m talking super moist, buttery vanilla cake layers made from scratch, loaded with rainbow sprinkles, and smothered in a simple vanilla buttercream.
I won’t lie… I’m fully obsessed. After months of testing, I’m convinced no celebration is complete without it. If you’re looking for a funfetti layer cake that’s colorful, nostalgic, and genuinely bakery-worthy, this is the one!
Not everyone’s a cake person…I get it! But if you’re still after that classic birthday cake flavor, my soft and chewy birthday cake cookies deliver it, complete with all the colorful sprinkles!
Table of Contents
Step by Step Instructions
1
In a stand mixer bowl, combine the dry ingredients and butter until they resemble coarse sand. This reverse creaming method is key to achieving a soft and tender cake texture. Just mix the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand.
2
Mix in half the wet ingredients until pasty. Scrape down the bowl well after this step, dry ingredients will always be stuck to the bottom!
3
Mix in the remaining wet ingredients and the rainbow jimmies sprinkles. You should have a smooth cake batter.
4
Distribute the cake batter into three 8-inch cake pans. You’ll know the cake layers are done baking when the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let them cool on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
5
Make the vanilla buttercream frosting. It’s a super simple mix of butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla! I prefer using real vanilla for the buttercream for a better flavor.
6
Stack the cake with vanilla frosting in between each layer. Cover and decorate the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with sprinkles and enjoy!
3 Secrets to Getting That Boxed Mix Flavor
Unbleached cake flour: For a soft, tender crumb, cake flour is essential. It can’t be swapped for all-purpose, especially with this mixing method. Trust me, it won’t work!
Vanilla powder: Vanilla extract can bake off easily, but adding a concentrated vanilla powder keeps the flavor bold and deep.
Imitation Vanilla: Yep, it’s the secret behind that nostalgic, almost artificial (in a good way) vanilla flavor. But of course, if you prefer a real vanilla flavor, pure vanilla paste is my recommendation!
For days when you want the fun of funfetti but are in a brownie mood, my fudgy birthday cake brownies totally deliver. They’re soft, rich, and packed with sprinkles!
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Homemade Funfetti Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Funfetti Cake Batter
- 2 1/3 cups cake flour, *See notes below*
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 12 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon imitation vanilla, for a classic box cake flavor, sub real vanilla if desired
- 1/3 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
For the Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C. Grease and flour the sides of three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla powder, and salt.2 1/3 cups (300 g) cake flour, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (13 g) baking powder, 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla powder, 1 teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
- On low speed, mix in the butter until it has a sandy texture, about 2-3 minutes.12 tablespoons (169 g) cubed unsalted butter
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sour cream, oil, and vanilla.3 (165 g) large eggs, 1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk, 1/2 cup (120 g) heavy cream, 1/2 cup (113 g) sour cream, 1/4 cup (56 g) vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon (8 g) imitation vanilla
- Mix in half of the wet ingredients until all of the flour has been moistened. Then scrape down the bowl. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients and rainbow sprinkles on low speed until just combined, scraping down the bowl once to ensure everything is well combined.1/3 cup (80 g) rainbow jimmies sprinkles
- Evenly distribute the cake batter into the prepared cake pans (475 grams in each). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow them to finish cooling on the racks.
For the Frosting
- In a stand mixer bowl or with a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.1 cup (226 g) salted butter, 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter
- Then add the powdered sugar. Pulse at first to combine, so the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Once combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for 4-5 minutes, until light, white, and fluffy.4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until just combined.3 tablespoons (42 g) heavy cream, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste or extract
For Assembly
- Place your first cake layer on your serving platter or cake stand. These cake layers should bake very flat so you shouldn't need to trim them at all!
- Spread an even amount of frosting across the top, the place the second layer on top. Repeat this process one more time, placing the last cake layer upside down so that the top is flat.
- Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the entire cake, then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the entire cake, using any extra to decorate if desired. Garnish with more rainbow sprinkles. Enjoy!
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
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!
Yay! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review Amy! 🙂
Hi!
Would this recipe work for cupcakes?
Thanks!
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 🙂
Thank you!!
Hi, is it vanilla bean powder I would need to purchase?
Vanilla bean powder is perfect!
Thank you! Making this cake for my birthday next month.
Yay! Happy early birthday, I can’t wait for you to enjoy it!
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!
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! 🙂
This cake is not only visually stunning but also so fluffy and tasty!
Thank you Tara!
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!!
Yay! Thanks so much for trying it Cara, I’m so glad everyone loved it!