Funfetti Cake

An ultra-moist and completely delicious vanilla cake filled with tons of sprinkles and creamy vanilla buttercream. The whole cake is enrobed in a silky Italian meringue buttercream and topped with a light pink ganache. This might be the perfect birthday cake, and yes this batter makes amazing funfetti cupcakes too!

This cake is moist, delicious and triggers all of my childhood nostalgia! All those sprinkles are basically magic and the finished product looks like the ultimate birthday cake!  

I love the color scheme and all the cute sprinkles on the bottom. I know a lot of people are not into drip cakes but I love the soft pink crown on this cake! What do you think?

If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.

 

PRO TIPS FOR A PERFECT FUNFETTI CAKE

• If you’re not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans. I’ve made this recipe quite a bit so I’d like to pass along some pointers: if you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
• Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
• If sour cream isn’t available you can substitute whole milk yogurt, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
• You can make the Italian meringue buttercream a day ahead, and leave it on the counter covered. Before you use it just give it a quick whip RIGHT before piping on as it looses it’s silky consistency quickly. You can check out my Italian buttercream post here for more tips and a full how to.
• To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post about it so check it out if you’re interested!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IS FUNFETTI CAKE WHITE OR YELLOW?

A classic funfetti cake is white. White cakes are made by omitting the yolks and adding another fat to replace the creaminess of the yolks. If you love a yellow cake feel free to make your own version, it will still be delicious!

CAN I PUT SPRINKLES IN CAKE MIX?

You can add almost any kind of sprinkle to cake mix with excellent results. For this recipe I used rainbow jimmies on the inside and confetti sprinkles for the skirt. Non pariels however are not the best option as they bleed and dissolve quite easily.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR FUNFETTI CAKE?

For a funfetti cake you’ll need a white cake batter, sprinkles and vanilla frosting. You can add extras like a colorful drip as I did or switch the flavorings up by adding almond extract or rose water instead of the vanilla.

I love the recipe below as the cake is quite moist and delicious but many people use a classic white boxed cake mix for their funfetti cakes.

 HOW DO YOU MAKE FUNFETTI CAKE MIX BETTER?

The best funfetti cakes are made from scratch with real butter and vanilla. Using store-bought cake mix and frosting is convenient but the trade off comes in the form of artificial ingredients and preservatives.

FOR A WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

Heat the cream up to just under a boil then pour over white chocolate and butter. You can play with the proportions on the ganache and use only cream and white chocolate if you desire as well. Allow to site for a couple units and then whisk until there are no lumps.

You might have to pop it into the microwave for 20 seconds on half power if there are bits of unmelted chocolate. Add a drop of oil-based soft pink food coloring (I use AmeriColor soft gel food coloring). The color will lighten slightly when the ganache cools. If you’re using white chocolate be warned that water-based dyes will make the chocolate seize up!

HOW TO MAKE FUNFETTI CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 340 degrees F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking as well. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk together.

2. Separate the room temperature eggs. You can use the yolks for a batch of French buttercream or custard. 

3. Add the milk, sour cream, vanilla, egg whites, and butter into a bowl and whisk together. Don’t worry if you see little lumps.

4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix together.

5. Add the sprinkles in last and fold into the batter.

6. Divide the mixture evenly into your three buttered and floured six inch pans. Bake at 340F for about 30-35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch and the edge pulls away from the pan.

 

7. For the Italian Meringue you’re doing two things at once: Beating the egg whites, cream or tartar, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment while ALSO heating the 1 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup of water on medium high heat. Once the egg whites start to froth,  SLOWLY sprinkle in 1/3 cup of sugar.

8. Once the egg whites reach the soft peak stage and the sugar reaches 235-240F it’s time to drizzle the hot sugar into the mixer while running on low. Run the mixer until the meringue is room temp then add the room temperature butter a tablespoon at a time. Set buttercream aside but remember to give a quick, final whip before using.

9. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cream and mix.

10. Divide into 2 batches. Add pink food coloring to one batch. Add sprinkles to both. Mix together. Transfer into 4 piping bags. Add a pink and a white to one piping bag and snip off the tip. 

11. Build the cake by piping the pink and white buttercream between each layer then covering the cake in a thin layer of buttercream. I alternated pink and white but it doesn’t really show so you don’t have to if you’re pressed for time. Smooth the outside with a bench scraper and offset spatula. You can chill the cake if it feels a bit unstable.

12. Give the Italian buttercream a quick whip then pipe it onto the outside and smooth.

13. Add the sprinkles to the side of the cake. I like to use confetti sprinkles but and kind works. You can use your hand to press them onto the cake or even toss them at the side of the cake. 

14. Melt candy melts, white chocolate and cream in the microwave until smooth. Add small amount of soft pink food coloring. Transfer to a piping bag. Add ganache to the top of the cake. Smooth to create a drip look. Pipe dollops of Italian meringue buttercream around the edge with an 869 tip.

Funfetti Cake

A moist and delightful funfetti cake filled with cheerful sprinkles, coated in creamy Italian buttercream and topped with a white chocolate ganache. Say hello to your new favorite cake! Might just be the cutest birthday cake ever!

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 213g
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
• 1/4 tsp baking soda 2g
• 1 tsp baking powder 4g
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter 176g, room temperature
• 3 egg whites
• 3 tsps vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream 120ml
• 1/2 cup milk 120ml
• 1/3-1/2 cup sprinkles 55g
• 1 pinch kosher salt

For the Ganache:

• 2 tbsp white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup candy melts 100g
• 3 tbsp heavy cream

For the Italian Buttercream:

• 5 large egg whites room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar 304g
• 1/3 cup water 80ml
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 cups unsalted butter 456g, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 dashes cream of tartar

For the American Buttercream:

• 1 lb unsalted butter 445g, room temperature
• 2 lb confectioners sugar 907g
• 1 tsp milk
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 1 drop pink food coloring
• 1/3 cup sprinkles 55g
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

For the Cake:

• Preheat oven to 340 degrees F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking as well. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Mix the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
• Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the sprinkles at the very end and mix at little as possible.
• Pour the batter into the buttered and floured pans. 
• Bake at 340 for about 30-35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.

For the Italian Buttercream:

• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the room temperature egg whites, 2 dashes of cream of tartar, a dash of salt and 1/3 cup of sugar until soft peaks form.
• In a medium saucepan add 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on low heat.
• Stir constantly until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.
• Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately. Run mixer until meringue is room temperature.
• Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one piece at a time. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency. Add vanilla at this stage. Mix, then transfer to a piping bag.

For the Funfetti Buttercream:

• Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, salt, milk, vanilla and mix. Divide into 2 batches. 
• Add pink food coloring to one batch. Mix until a desired color is reached. Fold in sprinkles to both.   
• Transfer into 4 piping bags. Add a pink bag and a white bag to one piping bag and snip off the tip. 

For the Ganache:

• Chop up the candy melts. Transfer to a bowl. Melt candy melts, white chocolate and cream in the microwave until smooth. 
• Allow to sit for a couple of minutes and then whisk until there are no lumps. You might have to pop into the microwave for 20 seconds on half power if there are bits of unmelted chocolate.
• Add in a drop of pink food coloring (I use AmeriColor soft gel food coloring). The color will lighten slightly when the ganache cools. Transfer to a piping bag. 

For the Assembly:

• Pipe the pink/white buttercream between each cake layer. Use the individual bags of pink and white to alternate a piped crumb coat. Smooth out with an offset spatula. Chill for about 10 minutes.
• Pipe the Italian meringue buttercream on the outside of the cake. Smooth out.
• Chill for another 10 min. Add a skirt of confetti sprinkles to the bottom of the cake.
• Add ganache to the top of the cake. Smooth to create a drip look. Let the ganache cool. 
• Pipe dollops of Italian meringue buttercream around the edge with an 869 tip. 

Notes

• As an alternative to the candy melts for the ganache you can use all white chocolate instead. Melt about 1/2 cup of chopped white chocolate with 1/4 cup cream then stir in a very small amount of soft pink food GEL coloring, you can add more cream and heat slightly if the consistency is too thick.
• I often pipe a practice drip on some vertical parchment paper to gauge the consistency. Try to get a bar of white chocolate if you're doing this because the chips often melt with less ease and white chocolate is already a finicky.
• If sour cream isn't available you can substitute whole milk yogurt, I do it all the time and can't really tell the difference.
• You can make the Italian meringue buttercream a day ahead, and leave it on the counter covered. Before you use it just give it a quick whip RIGHT before piping on as it looses it's silky consistency quickly. 
• To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set online or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a so check it out if you're interested!