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Homemade Funfetti Cake from scratch is the perfect cake for any birthday or occasion! Fluffy yellow cake is full of sprinkles, topped with a heavenly sprinkle buttercream frosting! I’d eat this cake with or without the birthday party – it’s one of the best cakes ever!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love my Homemade Funfetti Cake Recipe
My favorite cake in the world is a sprinkle cake, also known as a Funfetti Cake or Confetti Cake. To me, a this cake is basically a yellow cake with lots of sprinkles, and it’s served with a vanilla frosting, also full of fun colorful sprinkles.
I have a Funfetti Cupcake Recipe I love but I thought it was time to turn them into a sheet cake. Layer cakes can be fussy and complicated but a sheet cake in a 9×13 inch pan is so easy to make!
This is a soft and fluffy cake recipe that has a moist crumb. It’s easy to make and takes zero cake decorating skill.
Funfetti Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to measure it correctly. Some recipes use cake flour, but I prefer all purpose flour.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter and I start with it melted. I find that melted butter creates a moister cake.
- Eggs: Always buy large eggs. I also use whole eggs instead of just egg whites. This creates a more yellow than white cake. Also, it’s easier!
- Vanilla: Buy PURE vanilla extract. You can also add a bit of almond extract if you like!
- Buttermilk: The acid in the buttermilk helps keep the cake nice and soft. Make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any.
- Sprinkles: The most important part! These are in the cake and the frosting.
How to make Homemade Funfetti Cake
- Whisk the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Mix together the melted butter and sugar with an electric mixer (I use the paddle attachment). Then mix in the eggs and vanilla on medium speed.
- Add some of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and gently incorporate.
- Add half the buttermilk mixture and then continue incorporating flour and buttermilk, ending with the flour. Do not over mix.
- Stir rainbow jimmies into the cake batter. Bake cake and cool.
- Frost as desired!
Best Frosting & How to decorate
I love a simple vanilla buttercream for this cake. I have a whole post about how to make vanilla buttercream frosting, but you can also use chocolate frosting or cream cheese frosting! Or use Funfetti Frosting!
Since this is a funfetti sheet cake, it’s super easy to decorate it. You can leave it in the pan and just frost the top with icing, then sprinkle with additional sprinkles.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Why this recipe works: This cake is a variation of my yellow layer cake that I love so much, except I baked it in a 9×13-inch pan.
- Room temperature ingredients help the vanilla cake stay moist and fluffy.
- Be sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired.
- Make it Gluten Free: This cake also works with gluten-free 1:1 all purpose flour.
- If you want to be able to remove the cake from the pan, be sure to line the pan with parchment or foil and spray with baking spray (the kind with flour).
- To substitute for buttermilk you can make your own by adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to your measuring cup and filling it with milk to the 1 cup line. This recipe also works with regular milk and nondairy milk, I just like the extra fluffiness and moisture that the buttermilk lends.
- Pan Substitutions: I have made this cake in two 9-inch rounds, three 8-inch rounds, and 24 cupcakes. Then stack the cake layers with frosting between them.
Best Funfetti Cake FAQ
Store loosely covered with plastic wrap on the counter. You do not need to refrigerate it.
Yes – wrap it tightly and freeze. Can be frozen before or after frosting.
This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.
Use the toothpick test in the center of the cake – it’ll come out with just a few crumbs.
Be sure to use full fat ingredients, do not make substitutions, and do not over bake.
Funfetti Cake is a soft yellow cake with sprinkles, and often has just a bit more sugar than regular yellow cake. Otherwise they’re basically the same recipe.
Homemade Funfetti Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 248g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted buter, melted 227g
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 297g
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 15ml
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note) 237 ml
- 1 cup rainbow sprinkles
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 227g
- 4 cups powdered sugar 452g
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 15 ml
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 30-75ml
- 1/2 cup sprinkles plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix butter and sugar on medium speed in a large bowl using a hand or a stand mixer until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
- Add the buttermilk alternately with the dry ingredients, mixing between each, starting and ending with the buttermilk, and mixing just until the batter comes together. Stir in sprinkles.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs sticking too it. Cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting: beat butter with a hand or a stand mixer until creamy. Slowly add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until a crumbly mixture forms. Mix in vanilla and salt, then add 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Mix until smooth, adding more cream until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in sprinkles.
- Frost cake with frosting and top with more sprinkles. Store loosely covered for up to 2 days.
- Also makes 24 cupcakes or two 8-inch rounds.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Room temperature ingredients help the vanilla cake stay moist and fluffy.
- Be sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired.
- Make it Gluten Free: This cake also works with gluten-free 1:1 all purpose flour.
- If you want to be able to remove the cake from the pan, be sure to line the pan with parchment or foil and spray with baking spray (the kind with flour).
- To substitute for buttermilk you can make your own by adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to your measuring cup and filling it with milk to the 1 cup line. This recipe also works with regular milk and nondairy milk, I just like the extra fluffiness and moisture that the buttermilk lends.
- Pan Substitutions: I have made this cake in two 9-inch rounds, three 8-inch rounds, and 24 cupcakes. Then stack the cake layers with frosting between them.
Recipe Nutrition
Favorite Funfetti Recipes
The best easy homemade funfetti cake! This confetti cake recipe is from scratch with buttercream and sprinkles – it’s the best sheet cake recipe!
Last Updated on March 27, 2023
What a waste…. I’m sorry ( but not sorry) I wasted so much product and money doing this cake and it stuck to my pans, and crumbled. Not a good taste really either smfh. Please save your time and energy … my kids are disappointed and so am I
I am so sorry that happened to you! This should not have done that. Let’s troubleshoot a bit:
*Did you grease your pans or use parchment or cooking spray?
*How long did you bake it? Did you pull the cake out when a toothpick came out clean?
*Dryness and cracking is usually caused by over baking or using too much flour. Did you pack your flour or make any substitutions?
*What size pan(s) did you use?
Got your new cookbook really love it a little disappointed that you didn’t include tips like the vinegar tip you posted. I was looking forward to the extra tips
There are tons of tips in the book – ones that pertain to the recipes in it. I don’t think the vinegar tip is necessary for any of those cookie recipes.
Wow wow wow, after trying 6 different recipes for a Funfetti cake I finally found the perfect one with this recipe. Made it as a double layer cake for my moms 56th birthday and it came out perfect! Super moist and buttery even 4 days later and tastes exactly like funfetti cake, she loved it! Thanks so much for this recipe, it really did save the day and helped make the birthday girl very happy!
How long do you bake the CUPCAKES? Thanks.
is 2540mg of Sodium per serving correct?? Seems extremely high for one piece of cake…
With parties and entertaining of any kind, you have impeccable standards and don’t miss one single thing! Every detail is perfect! Happy early Bday to Jordan and good luck this weekend with her party!
Always ready for some birthday cake!!!
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