Moist Funfetti Cake Recipe

Name: Confetti Birthday Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300 grams); 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; ¾ cup jimmies sprinkles (the long ones, not the ball ones); ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar; ¼ cup vegetable oil; 4 large eggs; 1 cup sour cream; ½ cup milk (I used whole milk); 1 Tbsp vanilla extract; 2 ½ cups unsalted butter (room temperature, 5 sticks); 2 Tbsp vanilla extract; ⅛ tsp salt; 4-7 cups powdered sugar; 2-4 tbsp milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick; Jimmie sprinkles (for decorating)

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If you want to wow a crowd with a colorful dessert that pops in presentation and taste, this Funfetti Cake is the answer! Making a gorgeous layered Funfetti cake at home is easier than ever when you follow my foolproof step-by-step instructions.

funfetti cake with two slices missing sitting on a white cake stand surrounded by small white plates with the two slices on them, pink towels, birthday candles and scattered sprinkles

This Moist Funfetti Cake Recipe is perfect for your next party!

Funfetti cake is the ultimate birthday cake, and now you can upgrade from the standard from-the-box sheet cake and frosting and make a homemade cake that will seriously impress your family and friends. This cake only takes 15 minutes of prep time and makes a gorgeous centerpiece for birthday parties or any other celebration.

This Funfetti cake is tender and moist, flavorful, and packed with sprinkles. I’m going to be your Funfetti cake guide, walking you through super easy-to-follow steps to first make the vanilla cakes, then the frosting, and then put it all together for some sprinkle cake magic! Plus, keep reading for all my best tips for frosting and decorating this cake.

a clear plastic bin of sprinkles with more sprinkles all scattered around it sitting on a light pink surface

Funfetti Cake Recipe Ingredients

No fancy ingredients are needed; just one more thing to love about this homemade sprinkle cake! Get the full recipe with measurements and foolproof steps in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need for the cake and frosting:

Cake

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Jimmies sprinkles: The long ones, not the ball ones.
Unsalted butter: Let it come to room temperature.
Granulated sugar
Vegetable oil
Eggs
Sour cream
Milk: I used whole milk.
Vanilla extract

Frosting

Unsalted butter: Let it come to room temperature.
Vanilla extract
Salt
Powdered sugar
Milk or heavy cream: You’ll only add this if the frosting becomes too thick.
Jimmie sprinkles: For decorating!

a funfetti cake decorated with white icing and sprinkles on a white cake stand against a pink background with sprinkles, birthday candles, a clear container of sprinkles, plates and utensils surrounding it

Frosting for this Funfetti Cake Recipe

This Funfetti cake recipe is paired with a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting that is so easy to make (you’ll want to make it for other recipes, too). You could change it up and use chocolate frosting instead, but I love how the sprinkles pop with the color of the white frosting. You can also tint the frosting in different colors using gel food coloring.

The frosting is made with just 5 simple ingredients and spreads perfectly onto the cake for even layers and perfect coverage on the outside of the cake.

a slice of funfetti cake being pulled away from the cake with a spatula on a white cake stand

Here are some tips for creating the layers of frosting between the cake:

Level the Cake Layers: Before adding frosting between the layers, ensure that each cake layer is leveled. You can use a serrated knife or a cake leveler to trim off any uneven tops. This will help the layers stack evenly and prevent the cake from leaning.
Cool the Cake Layers Completely: For easier handling, ensure the cake layers are completely cooled before adding frosting. If they are still warm, the frosting will start to melt.
Don’t Overdo the Frosting: It’s important not to use too much frosting between the layers, as this can cause the layers to slide or the cake to become overly sweet. I recommend measuring 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting for each layer.
Press Layers Gently: As you stack each layer on top of the frosted one below, press down gently to help adhere the layers together and evenly distribute the frosting.

a slice of funfetti cake with a big bite missing sitting on a small white plate surrounded by sprinkles, blue birthday candles and more slices of cake in the background

How to Make Homemade Funfetti Cake

Tired of boring birthday cakes? This Funfetti cake is the upgrade you need! Make it once, and it’s likely to become a family tradition. Get the full recipe with ingredients in the recipe card below. Here are the easy steps:

a greased round cake pan with a parchment paper circle in the bottom of it

Prep oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease two or three 8 inch springform cake pans with butter (butter the sides and bottom) and line each pan with a parchment paper rounds for easy cake removal. Set aside.

dry ingredients for funfetti cake in a clear glass bowl on a pink surface

funfetti cake batter in a clear glass bowl on a pink surface

Mix dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sprinkles.
Start to mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl combine the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
Mix in remaining wet ingredients. Add in the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat with the electric mixer.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.

three round cake pans filled with funfetti cake batter

three round funfetti cakes on a wire cooling rack

Add batter to pans. Evenly divide the batter among the pans. If using 2 pans, that’s 3 cups of batter per pan, if using 3 pans, that’s 2 cups of batter per pan. If you have bake even cake strips, secure them around the outside of the pans.
Bake. Bake 2 pans for 40-50 minutes or 3 pans for 32-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool. Allow the cakes to cool for 20-30 minutes in the pans, then use a small spatula to loosen the cake from the edge of the pan. Remove the cake from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Frosting

Start mixing ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, vanilla extract and salt, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Mix in powdered sugar. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined.
Add color (optional). If you want to add food coloring, do so now.
Taste and adjust as needed. Taste as needed to determine if you want more powdered sugar. If the frosting becomes too thick, add 2-4 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream.
Add cream for fluffier frosting. If you want an extra fluffy frosting, add in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream when adding the last bit of powdered sugar. Whip for 3-4 minutes.

Assemble the Cake

a round funfetti cake on a round piece of cardboard with a layer of white frosting on top

two layers of funfetti cake sitting on a round piece of cardboard with white icing between and on top of them

Level cakes. If needed, level the cooled cakes using a cake leveler or serrated knife.
Frost and layer cakes. Spread a small amount of frosting on the bottom of your cake plate / stand, this acts as “glue” to prevent the cake from moving. Place one cake layer over the frosting. Measure 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting and evenly spread that on top of the first layer. Top with the second cake layer and spread another ¾ to 1 cup of frosting on top of that layer. Use the remaining frosting around the sides and top of the cake.

three layers of funfetti cake sitting on a round piece of cardboard with white icing between them

funfetti cake with the sides covered in a thin layer of white icing sitting on top of a white cake stand

Decorate with sprinkles.

a cake covered in white frosting on a white cake stand

side view of a funfetti cake with white icing and sprinkles covering it sitting on a white cake stand

Decorating Confetti Birthday Cake

Decorating Funfetti cake is so fun, pun intended! In this recipe, we decorate the cake with layers on frosting inside, and then frost the outside of the cake and finish it off with sprinkles. Here are some tips for decorating the outside of the cake with sprinkles after you’ve frosted it:

Use a Shaker or Spoon: For even distribution of sprinkles, use a shaker or spoon to sprinkle them gently over the frosted cake. You can also use your fingers to place larger sprinkles or create specific designs carefully.
Pat Them Gently: After applying the sprinkles, gently pat them down with clean, dry hands or a flat spatula to help them adhere to the frosting.
Layering: Experiment with layering different types and sizes of sprinkles to create texture and visual interest. Start with larger sprinkles and then fill in the gaps with smaller ones for a fuller look.
Add Sprinkles to the Sides: If you want to cover the sides of the cake with sprinkles, gently press them onto the frosting using your hands or a spatula. Work in small sections to ensure even coverage.
Refrigerate if Necessary: If your frosting starts to soften too much while decorating, place the cake in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm it up before continuing.

overhead view of one slice of funfetti cake that's been sliced but just barely pulled away from the cake by a spatula, with birthday candles, sprinkles, a plate and forks surrounded the cake stand

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How to Store Leftover Confetti Birthday Cake

You can keep this cake out at room temperature for a few hours. To store leftover cake, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, take it out and let it come to room temp again for about 30 minutes before eating (unless you prefer it cold).

a slice of funfetti cake from the side showing its three layers of cake with white icing in between and a lit pink and white striped candle in the top of the slice, with sprinkles scattered around

Best Funfetti Cake Recipe FAQs

Is Funfetti just vanilla with sprinkles?

Yes, technically, Funfetti cake is just vanilla cake with sprinkles. It was originally invented by Pillsbury in 1989. A true Funfetti cake is a vanilla cake packed with colorful sprinkles that give it a confetti look.

What sprinkles work for Funfetti?

Jimmies (long rainbow sprinkles) work best for Funfetti. While you can use the small ball-shaped sprinkles, the Funfetti look is best made with the long sprinkles that give more of a confetti-style look.

Is Funfetti cake white or yellow?

Funfetti cake can be either white or yellow. For a more yellow-colored cake, use whole eggs (the yellow comes from the egg yolks). For a white cake, just use egg whites.

Funfetti cake on three small white plates sitting on a pink surface, with forks that have removed bites of cake from the slice and sprinkles and two blue birthday candles surrounding the plates

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2 Comments

Michele Ooi Keat Looi says:

March 18, 2024 at 9:46 am

Hi if I’m going to bake in 6 inch round pan, I should be using 3 pans?

Michele.

1. Beth says:
  
  April 18, 2024 at 7:14 pm
  
  Yes, definitely! There would be too much batter for only two 6 inch pans.