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Confetti Cake is perfect for a celebration! It’s chock full of sprinkles and ready to party! Three layers of moist Sprinkle Cake with plenty of rich cream cheese frosting create an impressive, dreamy Birthday Cake.

This Funfetti Cake starts with a moist and tender white cake, but the addition of rainbow sprinkles creates the illusion of confetti when you remove the first slice! My Funfetti Cupcakes are also wonderful birthday treats!

Slice of funfetti cake on a white plate with a red handle fork in front of a cake stand.
Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Ingredient Notes:
3 How to Make
4 Expert Tips
5 Frequently Asked Questions
6 You May Also Like:
7 Festive Confetti Layer Cake

Why You Must Make

  • This festive Confetti Layer Cake is the epitome of a celebratory dessert.
  • With rainbow sprinkles in the batter and donning the frosting, this stacked layer cake shouts “PARTY!” Both components of this exquisite cake were noteworthy and got rave reviews.
  • It’s the perfect birthday cake! Plus, if you’re a fan of sprinkles, you’ll also love this Funfetti Dip!!!

Ingredient Notes:

  • Kitchen Staples – All-purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Sugar
  • Baking Powder (affiliate links in blue) – Unlike baking soda, baking powder will most likely expire before you use it all. Check the date on the can and to be extra cautious, put a spoonful into a cup of hot water. If it’s still active, it will bubble vigorously. If it doesn’t, replace it before starting this recipe.
  • Eggs – Should be at room temperature. But when separating the eggs, the yolks are less likely to break when you use cold eggs. Then let them come to room temperature.
  • Vanilla Extract (affiliate link to my go-to brand) – Always use real vanilla extract, never artificially flavored. PRO-Tip: Check the label to make sure it’s not artificially flavored before purchasing.
  • Buttermilk – At room temperature.
  • Rainbow Sprinkles – You may want extra to garnish the cake.
  • Cream Cheese – Have it at room temperature for easy blending with fewer lumps.
  • Butter – At room temperature. Salted is OK.
  • Powdered Sugar – Sift for the smoothest frosting.
Confetti Cake on a white cake stand

How to Make

Cake pans lined with parchment and greased.
Grease cake pans and line with parchment.
Dry Ingredients whisked together.
Whisk together dry ingredients.
Butter and sugar beaten in a mixing bowl. Then add eggs.
Beat together butter and sugar.
Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk.
Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk.
Whip egg whites.
Whip egg whites.
Fold in egg whites and sprinkles.
Fold in egg whites and sprinkles;
Divide evenly between baking pans and bake as directed.
Divide batter between pans and bake.
Cream butter and cream cheese, then add powdered sugar, vanilla.
Beat butter and cream cheese.
Frost top of bottom layer.
Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla and frost.
Add next layer, frost and repeat, then frost the exterior. Garnish with sprinles if desired.
Top with another layer and frost. Repeat and finish frosting.
Slice of funfetti cake on a white dessert plate with a red handle fork
Slice and serve!!!

Expert Tips

  • Don’t skimp on the time needed to cream the butter and sugar. A full 5 minutes will result in the best texture.
  • Buttermilk makes this cake tender and moist. PRO-Tip: You can always make your own “buttermilk” at home if you are in a pinch. Just put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or a neutral tasking vinegar in a liquid measuring cup, then fill it to the one cup mark with milk. Let sit for a few minutes, stir and use as directed. You’ll need to make a batch and a half for this cake recipe.
  • Make sure to check each of the 3 cakes for doneness. Just one of mine needed a few extra minutes.
  • For a more professional look, use a serrated knife to remove a thin slice off the top of any cake that’s not flat. Place that side cut side of the cake face down when you’re frosting as it will have lots of loose crumbs.
  • Purchase jimmies that won’t bleed for the best resemblance to confetti. This information should be on the label.
  • Use a more traditional vanilla frosting if you prefer. Remember a 3 layer cake will need more frosting than your typical layer cake. Chocolate frosting works well, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Funfetti Cake?

Funfetti or Confetti Cakes are Vanilla Cakes with colorful, rainbow sprinkles mixed into the batter before baking. It’s also known as a Sprinkle Cake.

What’s the Difference between Funfetti and Confetti Cake?

Pillsbury trademarked the term “Funfetti” for their cake mix. It’s Pillsbury’s version of a Confetti Cake.

What Kind of Sprinkles is Best for Funfetti Cakes?

You want sprinkles that do not bleed. Rainbow Sprinkles/Jimmies work well. Do not use nonpareils (the little round balls) as they will streak the batter.

How Do You Put Sprinkles on the Sides of a Cake?

While the frosting is still fresh, take a handful of the sprinkles and gently press them onto the sides of the cake, letting the excess fall onto the cake plate. Keep repeating until the sides are covered. Remove extra sprinkles from the plate and save any that are free from frosting for another recipe.

You May Also Like:

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Slice of funfetti cake on a white dessert plate with a red handle fork
The Recipe:

Festive Confetti Layer Cake

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield 12 servings

For a special occasion, add some sprinkles to a white cake batter and, voila, it's transformed into a Festive Confetti Layer Cake!

5.0 Stars (31 Reviews)

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 3 ¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups butter, at room temperature
  • 1 ¾ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup rainbow sprinkles (plus more to garnish cake)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 16 ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Rainbow sprinkles to garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Spray three 9-inch, round cake pans with an oil and flour spray like Baker's Joy. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment rounds and spray the tops. Set aside.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. 
  4. In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy. Add the sugar and beat on high for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add one of the whole eggs, beating until incorporated, then repeat with the remaining whole eggs one at a time, until well incorporated.
  6. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
  7. With the mixer on low, alternate ⅓ of the flour mixture with half the buttermilk, then another ½ of the flour mixture, and the rest of the buttermilk. Finally, mix in the late of the flour mixture just until combined.
  8. With a hand mixer, mix the egg whites until foamy, then beat until soft peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. Then mix in the sprinkles.
  9. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 baking pans. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  10. Cool completely on wire racks. Frost when layers are completely cooled.


To Make Frosting:

  1. Cream together cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, beating until incorporated. Mix in vanilla.
  2. To frost the cakes, place one layer on a serving dish and cover it with frosting. Add the second layer and cover it with frosting. And the top layer and frost the top and the sides. Press sprinkles onto the sides if desired while the frosting is still fresh.

Notes

Cake adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction. Frosting adapted from The Silver Palate.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1133Total Fat: 75gSaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 201mgSodium: 467mgCarbohydrates: 105gFiber: 2gSugar: 65gProtein: 10g

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© Liz Berg
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes

Funfetti Cake on a ruffled white cake stand

Confetti Cake circa 2016