Funfetti cake recipe (also called confetti cake) is a soft, delicious vanilla cake layers with brightly colored rainbow sprinkles mixed in and frosted with a sweet vanilla buttercream frosting.
I have spent nearly 10 years perfecting this recipe! Tweaking it and updating it every time I make a change. The last time I developed this recipe, my daughter Avalon was only four years old! Now my she is almost 11 and my son is 5 and this funfetti recipe is still one of our favorites to make with a couple of changes.
I truly believe that buttermilk and clear vanilla extract make all the difference and recreates that perfect nostalgic funfetti flavor from a box but 100% from scratch.
The other secret to moist funfetti cake is a small amount of corn syrup. This invert sugar is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the air, keeping this cake SUPER moist.
Pro-tip: You can add 1 ounce of corn syrup to your cake recipes to make them super moist.
Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card for a full visual example on how to create this cake from start to finish including how to bake the funfetti cake layers, how to make the buttercream frosting, color frosting pink, how to make a gold drip and how to decorate it all together.
What's In This Blog Post
You won't need any fancy tools or ingredients for this cake but let's go over everything so we can set ourselves up for success.
Ingredients
Pro-tip: Always bring your cold ingredients (egg whites, buttermilk, butter, etc) to room temperature (roughly 70ºF). Baking is a science and essentially an emulsion of water and oil-based ingredients. If everything is not the same temperature, your cake batter will split and not rise properly.
Buttermilk is a magical ingredient when it comes to baking. The acid breaks down the gluten that develops while mixing, making this funfetti cake EXTRA tender and moist. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, don't worry, you can easily make your own or even use sour cream or yogurt instead. This recipe is very forgiving.
All-purpose flour is needed for this recipe. Usually, I use cake flour for my cake recipes and the reverse creaming method, but I have noticed that this cake needs a little more structure to suspend those sprinkles properly.
Unsalted butter is used in this recipe and most baking recipes because salted butter can taste TOO salty. If all you have is salted butter on hand, just leave the salt out in this recipe.
Egg whites are used in this cake recipe instead of whole eggs so that the cake batter is nice and white. You can use fresh or boxed egg whites. If you use egg yolks, save them for the next time you want to make some yummy lemon curd.
Clear vanilla extract (imitation vanilla) is used because of its distinct flavor profile. If all you have is pure vanilla extract, no worries! Your cake will still be delicious.
Gold powder is used to do this gold drip. I like a very bright gold. You can use any gold powder you like or you can omit this step completely. You can find gold powder online or at most cake decorating stores.
Corn Syrup is used in this recipe to keep the cake ultra moist. Because corn syrup is an invert sugar and is hygroscopic (attracts moisture) this cake stays super moist just like the boxed mix version. You can replace corn syrup with honey or agave syrup if you want or leave it out completely.
How To Make Funfetti Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. (176ºC).
- Coat your three cake pans with cake goop or your preferred brand of pan release.
- Combine your flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set it aside for now.
- Combine your warmed buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract together and set aside.
- Place the softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached and cream it on medium speed until smooth its smooth.
- While mixing on low speed, sprinkle your sugar into the butter and then bump the speed up to medium. Allow the butter and sugar to mix until it has lightened in color and looks fluffy.
- Next, add in the room temperature egg whites one at a time (roughly), letting them fully combine into the butter mixture before adding the next egg white. The final mixture will be light and airy.
- While mixing on low, add in ⅓ of your flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and mix until combined.
- Add in ½ of your milk mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer (still mixing on low) and mix until combined.
- Repeat this process again. Flour mixture, milk mixture, then flour mixture.
- Fold in your rainbow sprinkles by hand just until everything is combined together.
- Divide your cake batter evenly between your three prepared pans.
- Bake your cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.
- Let the cake layers cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, then flip them out of the cake pans onto the wire rack.
- Wrap the cake layers while they are still warm and place into the freezer to freeze for an hour. This rapid cooling locks in the moisture.
- Once the cake layers are cool but not frozen, you can then trim off the brown edges of your cakes and frost them as desired. See more instructions in the video tutorial.
How To Make The Buttercream Frosting
- Next, let's make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
- On low speed, whip your softened unsalted butter until it's smooth and lump-free with the whisk attachment.
- Add in the clear vanilla extract and the salt and mix until combined.
- While mixing on low, add in your sifted powdered sugar. Stop to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to make sure everything mixes properly.
- Add in the heavy cream and mix until super smooth. Don't over-mix.
Cake Assembly & Decorating
Watch this video on how to decorate your first cake if you want more details.
- Trim the brown sides and bottom from your cake layers with a serrated knife. You can also level the cake so it's flat by trimming off the dome if needed (makes a great snack!)
- Place your first cake layer onto the cake plate.
- Spread an even layer of the frosting onto the top of the cake layer using your offset spatula.
- Repeat the process with the other two cake layers.
- Cover the top and the sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting. This is called a crumb coat and helps lock in all the crumbs so the final layer of frosting is beautiful and pristine.
- Place the cake into the fridge fo 20 minutes or until the frosting feels firm to the touch.
- Apply another layer of frosting to the entire cake in an even layer. Use a bench scraper to make the sides straight and even.
- Place the cake into the fridge to chill while you make the gold drip (optional).
Making The Gold Drip
- This is totally optional but I LOVE a gold drip and think it looks so pretty on this cake. All you need is to melt 6 ounces of candy melts with 1 ounce of hot water in the microwave. The color of the candy melts doesn't really matter. You won't see the color.
- Combine your gold dust and oil together to make a thick paste (see recipe video).
- Paint the inside of your piping bag with the gold dust mixture.
- Allow the drip mixture to cool to about 90ºF before filling your piping bag.
- Pipe the drip around the edge of the cake.
Finishing The Cake
- Color your leftover buttercream with some food coloring. I used electric pink from americolor. Protip: Mix your buttercream with an immersion blender to get a bright and vivid color.
- Place the buttercream into the piping bag with a 1M star piping tip.
- Pipe a border around the base of your cake.
- Add some sprinkles on top of the border.
- Add another border around the top of the cake and some more sprinkles.
- Your funfetti cake is now complete!
This really is the ULTIMATE birthday cake! Soft, fluffy, moist, and delicious! You'll never need another funfetti cake recipe.
If you loved this recipe don't forget to leave me a review and check out some of my other popular cake flavors!
FAQ
Yes funfetti cake is a moist vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles mixed in.
What Is Funfetti? Funfetti cake is just another name for a confetti cake. In fact, the only difference is that ``Funfetti'' is a name trademarked by Pillsbury. Confetti cake is traditionally a white or vanilla cake filled with rainbow sprinkles that look a lot like a shower of confetti.
Rainbow jimmies are the best sprinkles to use in funfetti cake because they don't dissolve into nothing like nonperils do.
Yes this funfetti cake makes great cupcakes! I baked mine for 18 minutes.
Recipe
Equipment
- 3 8" round cake pans
- 1 Piping Bag
- 1 1M Piping Tip
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 20 ounces All Purpose Flour
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces unsalted butter room temp
- 16 ounces sugar
- 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 8 ounces egg whites
- 1 ounce corn syrup or honey
- 14 ounces buttermilk room temp
- 2 ounces vegetable oil
- 6 ounces rainbow sprinkles
Gold Drip (optional)
- 6 oz white chocolate or candy melts
- 1 oz warm water
- 2 teaspoon gold dust see notes
- 3 drops oil
Buttercream Frosting
- 12 ounces unsalted butter room temp
- 28 ounces powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. (176ºC).Coat your three cake pans with cake goop or your preferred brand of pan release.
- Combine your flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set it aside for now.
- Combine your warmed buttermilk, oil, corn syrup, and vanilla extract together and set aside.
- Place the softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached and cream it on medium speed until smooth its smooth.
- While mixing on low speed, sprinkle your sugar into the butter and then bump the speed up to medium. Allow the butter and sugar to mix until it has lightened in color and looks fluffy.
- Next, add in the room temperature egg whites one at a time (roughly), letting them fully combine into the butter mixture before adding the next egg white.
- While mixing on low, add in ⅓ of your flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and mix until combined.
- Add in ½ of your milk mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer (still mixing on low) and mix until combined.
- Repeat this process again. Flour mixture, milk mixture, then flour mixture.
- Fold in your rainbow sprinkles by hand just until everything is combined together.
- Divide your cake batter evenly between your three prepared pans.
- Bake your cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.
- Let the cake layers cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, then flip them out of the cake pans onto the wire rack.
- Wrap warm and place into the freezer to freeze for an hour. This rapid cooling locks in the moisture. Once the cake layers are cool but not frozen, you can then trim off the brown edges of your cakes and frost them as desired. See more instructions in the video tutorial.
Gold Drip Instructions
- Melt the chocolate in microwave or in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (bane marie) and add in the water. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Combine the gold powder and oil into a thick paste.
- Paint the bottom 2" of the inside of your piping bag with the gold mixture.
- Add in the chocolate drip mixture, and now it's ready to pipe.
Vanilla Buttercream
- On low speed, whip your softened unsalted butter until it's smooth and lump-free with the whisk attachment.
- Add in the clear vanilla extract and the salt and mix until combined.
- While mixing on low, add in your sifted powdered sugar. Stop to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to make sure everything mixes properly.
- Add in the heavy cream and mix until smooth. Don't over-mix.
Cake Assembly & Decorating
- Trim the brown sides and bottom from your cake layers with a serrated knife. You can also level the cake so it's flat by trimming off the dome if needed (makes a great snack!)
- Place your first cake layer onto the cake plate.
- Spread an even layer of the frosting onto the top of the cake layer using your offset spatula.
- Repeat the process with the other two cake layers.
- Cover the top and the sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting. This is called a crumb coat and helps lock in all the crumbs so the final layer of frosting is beautiful and pristine.
- Place the cake into the fridge fo 20 minutes or until the frosting feels firm to the touch.
- Apply another layer of frosting to the entire cake in an even layer. Use a bench scraper to make the sides straight and even.
- Add some sprinkles to the outside of the cake using your hands.
- I colored the remaining frosting pink and piped some borders around the base of the cake and added some dollops on top.
- Place the cake into the fridge to chill while you make the gold drip (optional).
- Pipe the drip around the edge of the cake.
- Decorate the cake with the remaining pink buttercream as desired!
Video
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature. Remember, baking is a science and temperature of your ingredients is one of the most important things you can do to make a successful cake.
- Using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients is very important for a successful cake. All ingredients (dry and liquid) are measured the same. No measuring cups!
- I use this brand of edible gold powder for a very shiny gold drip.
Genevieve says
Looks delicious! Can this cake be made a day or two in advance? Any suggestions for storing?? Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you're not going to use it right away I would freeze it to avoid the cake drying out. Wrap in two layers of plastic wrap.
Beatrix says
Easily the best Funfetti cake ever. Super moist and light! I used both almond and vanilla extract to give it that extra bit of flavour and it worked a treat. For sure my new go to recipe!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Thank you so much!
Nancy says
Liz, this recipe is AMAZING! I'll never make another recipe's funfetti cake because this one is literally perfect! How many cups of batter would you suggest for a 10 inch round cake pan?
On that note, do you have a chart of how many cups of batter per size of cake pan? And maybe how many cups of frosting per size of cake? If not, that would be a blog post and/or video I might cry of happiness for.
Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with us!
The Sugar Geek Show says
No I don't because it just depends on the cake batter. I fill my pans to be about 3/4 of the way full. A 1 1/2 batch would be enough for two 10" rounds.
Melissa says
Hi Liz!
Love your recipes and whole site, I make your vanilla cake all the time and everyone loves it! I made your funfetti cake before and love it but was wondering if I were to use cake flour would that change how I mix it together and will I have to change the weightings? I would just do the vanilla but I like the fluffiness that the eggwhite only version gives to funfetti...if I’m wrong on that please let me know ha! Thanks in advance!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If I'm understanding correctly, you are wanting the fluffiness of the vanilla cake but white and make it funfetti yes? If so, I would suggest trying out my white velvet buttermilk cake and fold in the sprinkles at the end. This is the recipe I actually prefer for funfetti now 🙂
Melissa says
Hi Liz,
Yea, I wasn’t sure if the fluffiness comes from the cake flour or the egg whites or a little bit of both so I was wondering if I could use cake flour in the funfetti instead of AP. I was going to actually try your white velvet tonight!
I’m trying really hard to replicate the taste and texture of the Pillsbury boxed funfetti and haven’t been able to get it right. Do you know what the flavor is? To me it seems like a mix of almond and vanilla but I haven’t had luck nailing it. Any suggestions for that specific flavor profile? Sorry this is so long...Thank you so much!
Melissa
Padei Lo says
Hi Liz, in your video you stated cake flour but on the written recipe you wrote down all purpose. Can you clarify which flour you used? Thank you! And I always love all your recipes! Never a disappointment
The Sugar Geek Show says
This cake is AP flour but you can make funfetti with any white cake recipe that you like 😀
Suzanne says
Hi Liz! thanks a lot for your amazing cakes!! always satisfied with the results 🙂 I was wondering if you can use store bought pasteurised egg white instead of fresh egg whites, will that make a difference in the texture or the taste of the cake please? Thanks a lot!
Amanda says
Would it be a problem to half this cake recipe?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No problem at all
Tiffane says
Hi I’ve never tried this recipe before but by the reviews it sounds really good. If I wanted to make a 4 layer cake with a 9in cake round what would I have to times the recipe by?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would make a 1 1/2 batch. Then tort each cake in half length wise to get the four layers
Milena says
This looks great, I’m trying it right now. But as it bakes in the oven, I suddenly came up with a question about measurements. Do you measure your liquids in liquid ounces, or is everything measured by weight? When I switch to metric units, it all shows in weight (grams). I suspect this would alter the result quite a bit 🙂
The Sugar Geek Show says
I measure everything by weight
Milena says
The kids said mom made good cakes! My batter comes out very thick each time. I can scoop it into the pan and have to spread it around to even out. I weighed everything this time and it was roughly the same as when I used the volume units for the liquids lol. Anyway, this is delicious, my first practice cake is practically gone, second one is coming out the oven in 15 minutes.
Brittany Thurman says
Hey Liz! Is this funfetti recipe dense enough to carve and sculpt?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it is
Emi says
Hi Liz!! I was wondering could I sub out the sprinkles for mini chocolate chips if I coat them with a little bit of the flour? I love you recipes so much and wanted to see your thoughts on that. 🙂 I'm making a birthday cake for a client in a couple days and the ones I'm finding are getting comments of being dry! Ewww no dry cake please.
Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
You totally could, I dont think you'd even need to coat them, the batter is thick enough to support them
Emi says
Hi Liz!
I went ahead and adding in the mini baking chips with a coating of flour. But, I think you're right that I didn't need to do that.
The client loved the cake and it worked out. Thank you for your amazing recipes and tutorials!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yay! I'm so glad!
steph says
Amazing, as always! I know when I use one of your recipes it will be delicious
Martha says
I just made this recipe in 2 8” pans and set the time for 35 minutes. The cakes have not risen and seem to be raw. I followed the recipe exactly by measuring all the ingredients as stated. What could have gone wrong? Isn’t the batter supposed to rise?
Elizabeth Marek says
I'm so sorry it didn't work out for you.Perhaps you forgot the baking powder or yours is expired? There isn't any other reason a cake wouldn't rise.
Ashley says
what would happen to this cake if we use carton egg whites? just curious as i feel bad if i have to waste 6 yolks lol!
Elizabeth Marek says
You can absolutely use carton egg whites 🙂 That's what I use!
Hanako Narushima says
Hello Liz 🙂 It’s me again ... your avid fan 🙂 I am about to make your funfetti cake for my daughter’s birthday party next week. I am just wondering if I can use any kind of sprinkles? Should i Use the big ones or any kind will do? 🙂 Will be happy if you can answer me with this one Liz 🙂 thank you so much for sharing your wonderul recipes. I sweat for your vanilla cake recipe it’s my go to 🙂
Elizabeth Marek says
Either jimmies or confetti sprinkles. The non-perils just melt and dissolve away in baking
Stephanie says
If I make this recipe for cupcakes do I still bake them at the 335 temp?
Elizabeth Marek says
I would bake at 350ºF
Martha Reynoso says
Hi Liz! Just a comment and a question. I adore you and I’m a fan and I always bug you! When making cupcakes, this recipe makes more like 3 dozen. Also, when making cupcakes I baked at 335 per your instructions, but they took long to bake which I’m use to quicker bake times on cupcakes. Would 350 make a difference?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes I would definitely bake at 350F for cupcakes.
Jewel B says
I made this cake for my family and it was absolutely delicious, full of flavor. Definitely adding this to my recipe Arsenal.
Maria says
Hi. I would like to do this cake and cover in fondant. I was planning to do it a day before and cover the following day in the morning. Do you suggest I freeze it overnight? And if so, do I need to defrost it for long or I can just take out of the freezer while I prepare buttercream and fondant and then cover immediately? thanks 🙂
Elizabeth Marek says
No need to freeze the cake. You might want to watch my how to make your first cake video for a timeline of baking and decorating. https://sugargeekshow.com/how-to-make-a-cake/
Sahana says
Hi Liz,
I would like to make this cake, but I have two questions about the water ganache when we add food coloring is there, a specific brand or a type of food coloring we need to use? My other question is would colored candy melts work for this recipe? Please let me know.
Elizabeth Marek says
You can use any kind of food coloring. I use americolor food coloring gel. Yes you can use candy melts, that is what I use.
Felicia says
Made it. Great recipe but i cut the powdered sugar and butter in half for the buttercream..
And skip the water ganache
Olivia says
Can I use almond milk instead of regular whole milk
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can
Patti Grogan says
Love the sound of this cake and wanting to attempt it for my daughters 1st birthday. However, she is dairy free so I was just wondering could I use a dairy free marg instead of butter and a dairy free milk like oat or almond milk. Thank you : )
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can
Patti Grogan says
Love the sound of this cake, I am wanting to make it for my daughters 1st birthday however she is dairy free am I able to use dairy free butter and milk for it please and it be okay? Thank you
Elizabeth Marek says
Oh yea definitely! Earth balance butter works great and any kind of dairy free milk