Funfetti Cake Recipe

After making hundreds of celebration and wedding cakes for clients, this is the Funfetti cake recipe I make when I want a dependable vanilla birthday cake with a soft crumb, sturdy layers, and classic buttercream frosting.

Unlike many overly sweet bakery-style recipes, this cake has the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and sprinkles in every bite.

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Back when I was running my cake business, I used to make elegant wedding cakes all week — sugar flowers, lace piping, the whole thing. But every now and then, a client would ask for a good old Funfetti Cake. And honestly? Those were always the most fun to make. The best thing for me is that I make this in one bowl – no mixer needed!!

What is a Funfetti cake?

Funfetti cake is a vanilla birthday cake filled with colorful rainbow sprinkles. The sprinkles bake into the cake, creating a confetti-like appearance throughout each slice.

Expert Baker’s Tip

After making wedding cakes and celebration cakes for more than a decade, I’ve found that combining butter, oil, sour cream, and whole eggs creates a Funfetti cake that is both soft and flavorful while remaining sturdy enough for stacking and decorating. It gives you the rich taste of a homemade vanilla cake with the moisture and reliability needed for birthdays, parties, and special occasions.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft, moist vanilla cake made with butter, oil, sour cream, and whole eggs.
• Colorful rainbow jimmies baked into every slice for the classic Funfetti look.
• Tender crumb that stays fresh and moist for days.
• Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and no whipped egg whites.
• Sturdy cake layers that stack beautifully for birthdays and celebrations.
• Finished with a smooth vanilla buttercream frosting that’s rich without being overly sweet.

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Ingredients & Substitutes

For the Cake

• Butter – Adds rich flavor and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
• Oil – Keeps the cake moist even after refrigeration and gives the layers a softer texture than butter alone.
• Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cake while helping create a light, fluffy texture.
• Eggs – Whole eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness without the extra step of separating egg whites.
• Vanilla Extract – The signature flavor in any classic vanilla birthday cake.
• Flour – You can use cake flour, which produces a slightly softer crumb, but all-purpose flour works beautifully in this recipe and gives the cake enough structure to support layers and frosting.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Work together to create a light, fluffy cake with a good rise.
• Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor.
• Sour Cream – Adds richness and moisture while creating a tender crumb.
• Milk – Loosens the batter and helps create a smooth, even texture.
• Rainbow Jimmies – The best sprinkles for Funfetti cake because they hold their shape during baking and create colorful specks throughout the cake.

For the Frosting

• Butter – Creates a rich, creamy buttercream with excellent piping consistency.
• Powdered Sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the frosting.
• Heavy Cream – Creates a silky, fluffy texture and helps the buttercream spread smoothly.
• Vanilla Extract – Gives the frosting its classic bakery-style vanilla flavor.
• Salt – Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.

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Step-by-step: Funfetti Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Oven and Pan

• Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
• Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
  Note – this batter will also work for 2 x 9-inch round or 3 x 7-inch round cake pans, as well as a 9 x 13 sheet cake pan. Adjust baking time accordingly.

Dry Ingredients

• In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Whisk well and set aside.

Wet Ingredients

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Add the vanilla extract.

Combine

• Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and milk.
• Mix only until combined.
• Fold in the rainbow jimmies with a spatula.

Bake

• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
• Turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Buttercream

• Beat the butter until pale and creamy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream and beat for another 2 minutes.
• Add the powdered sugar in two batches.
• Add the vanilla extract and salt.
• Whip until smooth, light, and fluffy.

Fill the Cake

• Place one cake layer on a cake board or serving plate.
• Spread an even layer of buttercream over the top.
• Place the second cake layer on top.

Crumb Coat

• Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake.
• Chill for 15 to 20 minutes until firm.

Final Coat

• Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream.
• Smooth the top and sides with an offset spatula or cake scraper.

Decorate

Piped Borders

• Transfer some frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
• Pipe a border around the top edge of the cake.
• Pipe a matching border around the base.

Sprinkles

• Add rainbow jimmies over the top border.
• Press a few sprinkles around the sides of the cake.
• Chill briefly before slicing for clean cuts.

Storage

Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. Bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Tips for Success

• Measure your ingredients by weight whenever possible for the most accurate results.
• Bring the butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk to room temperature before mixing.
• Cream the butter, oil, and sugar until noticeably lighter in color and texture.
• Mix the batter only until combined after adding the flour to keep the crumb soft and tender.
• Fold the sprinkles in gently to avoid breaking them or causing excess color bleeding.
• Use rainbow jimmies rather than nonpareils for the cleanest appearance.
• Bake the cakes as soon as the batter is mixed.
• Allow the cake layers to cool completely before filling and frosting.
• Chill the cake briefly after the crumb coat for smoother buttercream application.
• For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the finished cake for 20 minutes before serving.

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Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Solution
Cake sank in the center	Underbaked center or too much liquid	Bake until the center springs back and a skewer comes out clean
Dense cake	Overmixed batter or too much flour	Mix only until combined and weigh ingredients
Dry cake	Overbaked layers	Remove from the oven as soon as the center tests done
Sprinkles bled into the batter	Wrong type of sprinkles	Use rainbow jimmies instead of nonpareils
Frosting too soft	Butter too warm	Chill briefly, then rewhip
Cake layers domed	Oven temperature too high	Use an oven thermometer and cake strips if needed
Crumbly slices	Cake served too cold	Bring to room temperature before serving

How to Make Funfetti Sheet Cake

You can easily turn this Funfetti Cake recipe into a sheet cake or snack cake.

• For a 9×13-inch sheet cake, prepare the batter as directed and bake in a greased 9×13-inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes.
• For an 8-inch square snack cake, use half the recipe and bake for 28 to 32 minutes.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Decorate with vanilla buttercream and rainbow sprinkles.

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Frequently asked questions

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