Recipe

Funfetti Cake

Soft vanilla layers loaded with sprinkles and topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream for maximum party-in-a-slice vibes.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A tall slice of homemade Funfetti cake with rainbow sprinkles baked into the crumb and fluffy vanilla buttercream, plated on a white dessert plate on a bright kitchen table

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Funfetti cake is the culinary equivalent of putting on your favorite playlist and suddenly remembering you have hips. It is cheerful, a little chaotic, and somehow makes a random Tuesday feel like it has balloons attached.

This is a from-scratch Funfetti cake that bakes up soft and fluffy with real vanilla flavor, not just sugar-with-a-side-of-color. The sprinkles stay bright, the layers slice clean, and the buttercream is the kind you will “accidentally” eat off the spatula while you pretend you are cleaning.

Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, baking powder, and rainbow sprinkles arranged on a light kitchen counter with measuring cups and bowls

Why It Works

Reverse creaming for a plush crumb: Mixing butter into the dry ingredients first coats the flour, which helps keep the cake tender and tight in the best way.
Egg whites keep it bright: Using mostly whites makes a whiter cake base so the sprinkles pop and lets the vanilla flavor shine.
Sprinkles that behave: The right kind of sprinkles (jimmies) hold color better than nonpareils, so you get confetti instead of sad tie-dye streaks.
Moisture without heaviness: Whole milk plus a little sour cream keeps the cake soft for days without turning it dense.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temperature: If your kitchen is cool, store the frosted cake covered (cake dome or gently tented plastic wrap) for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate covered for up to 5 days. For best texture and flavor, it is at its peak within 3 to 4 days. Let slices sit at room temp for 30 to 60 minutes before eating so the buttercream goes silky again.

Freezer: Freeze unfrosted layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months. Thaw still wrapped at room temp, then frost. You can also freeze individual frosted slices on a sheet pan until firm, then wrap and freeze for quick dessert emergencies.

Common Questions

What sprinkles work best for Funfetti cake?

Use rainbow jimmies. They hold their color better in batter. Avoid tiny round nonpareils in the cake batter because they tend to bleed and streak.

Why did my sprinkles sink?

Usually the batter was a bit too loose or the sprinkles were heavy. Use jimmies, and fold them in at the very end. Also make sure your oven is fully preheated so the cake sets quickly.

How do I stop sprinkle colors from bleeding?

Start with jimmies, fold them in gently at the very end, and do not overmix once they are in. If your kitchen is very warm and the batter feels extra soft, a quick 10 minute chill can help the sprinkles behave.

Why is my cake dry or dense?

The usual suspects are overbaking, overmixing after the liquids go in, or too much flour. Measure flour by spooning and leveling (or use a scale), keep ingredients at room temp, and pull the cake when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs or the center hits about 200 to 205°F.

Can I make this as cupcakes?

Yes. Fill liners about 2/3 full and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Can I bake it in a 9x13 pan?

You can. Bake at 350°F for about 30 to 38 minutes, checking early. The top should spring back lightly and a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.

How do I get flat cake layers?

Use cake strips if you have them, and do not overmix once the liquids go in. You can also trim domes with a serrated knife once fully cooled.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

2 (8-inch) round cake pans
Parchment paper
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Mixing bowls
Rubber spatula
Wire rack
Offset spatula or butter knife for frosting
Optional: kitchen scale, cake strips

I used to think Funfetti was strictly a box-mix situation, like it came with an unspoken rule that you must eat it at a kid’s birthday party while standing near the kitchen doorway. Then I made it from scratch and realized what I had been missing: actual vanilla flavor, a crumb that stays soft, and sprinkles that feel like a choice instead of a shortcut.

This is the cake I make when I want something joyful but not fussy. It is the one that gets sliced “just to taste” and somehow turns into a second slice with zero regrets.

Funfetti Cake

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Funfetti Cake

2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, but very birthday-cake)
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 whole egg, room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
1/2 cup (90 g) rainbow jimmies sprinkles, plus extra for decorating

A small bowl filled with rainbow jimmies sprinkles on a baking counter next to measuring spoons

Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 to 4 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk (as needed)

Instructions

Prep

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease the parchment too.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

An 8-inch round cake pan greased and lined with a circle of parchment paper on a light kitchen counter

Make the batter

Transfer the dry mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl). Add the granulated sugar and whisk briefly to combine.
Add the softened butter and mix on medium-low until the mixture looks like damp sand and no big butter chunks remain, about 1 to 2 minutes. This is the reverse-creaming step that helps keep the crumb plush.
Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Mix until combined.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg whites, and whole egg.
With the mixer on low, pour in the milk and egg mixture in 2 additions, mixing just until combined after each. Scrape the bowl so nothing hides on the bottom. This is the moment to keep it gentle because overmixing here is how tender cakes turn tough.
Fold in the rainbow jimmies with a spatula, just until evenly distributed. Overmixing is how fluffy cakes turn into chewy ones, and nobody asked for that.

A mixing bowl of pale vanilla cake batter with rainbow sprinkles being folded in with a rubber spatula on a kitchen counter

Bake

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If you like a number to chase, aim for about 200 to 205°F in the center.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Two round Funfetti cake layers cooling on a wire rack with colorful sprinkles visible in the crumb

Make the buttercream

Beat the butter on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until lighter and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar in batches, mixing on low at first so you do not create a sugar blizzard.
Add vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is fluffy and spreadable, thick enough to hold its shape but not stiff.

Yield note: This makes enough buttercream to fill and frost a 2-layer 8-inch cake with a generous swoosh.

Vanilla buttercream being whipped in a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment in a bright home kitchen

Assemble

If needed, level the cake layers. Place one layer on a plate or cake stand.
Spread a generous layer of buttercream on top. Add the second cake layer.
Frost the top and sides. Finish with extra sprinkles pressed onto the sides or sprinkled over the top.
Slice and serve. Taste as you go, because that is the rule.

An offset spatula spreading vanilla buttercream over a Funfetti layer cake on a cake stand in a home kitchen

A fully frosted Funfetti cake covered with rainbow sprinkles on a white cake stand set on a kitchen table with soft natural light

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Funfetti Cake

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Vanilla Buttercream

Wilton Buttercream Icing

Classic Vanilla Wedding Cake (Two Tier)

Copycat Lofthouse Cookies

Storage Tips

Common Questions

What sprinkles work best for Funfetti cake?

Why did my sprinkles sink?

How do I stop sprinkle colors from bleeding?

Why is my cake dry or dense?

Can I make this as cupcakes?

Can I bake it in a 9x13 pan?

How do I get flat cake layers?

Funfetti Cake

Ingredients

Funfetti Cake

Vanilla Buttercream

Instructions

Prep

Make the batter

Bake

Make the buttercream

Assemble