Do you know how to make your funfetti cake the best funfetti cake recipe? You need to not only sprinkle the batter and the top with jimmies, but also make it EXPLODE more sprinkles when you cut it open!
About Our Search for the Best Funfetti Cake Recipe
We didn’t learn about funfetti cake until we were adults. This could have to do with the fact that we were born too early (we don’t want to date ourselves, but by the time funfetti cake was introduced, we were edging out of the demographic towards which it was directed), or simply the fact that our mother wouldn’t dream of making a white cake, and certainly not one spangled with sprinkles. It wasn’t until we were adults that a friend who was about a decade younger mentioned that it was her favorite kind of cake. We were intrigued. Funfetti? What on earth could that be? It certainly sounded fun.
The idea lay dormant in our minds until we were stuck at home during Covid lockdown #549 with two small children, which brings us back to where we started. How better to chase away your Covid blues (or really any blues) than with a a ridiculously sweet rainbow cake. We’re happy to report that, unlike toilet paper, rainbow sprinkles were in plentiful supply during even the worst of the pandemic scaries.
We reprised the cake on a recent family vacation with not one, not two, not five, but seven small children under the age of 10 in attendance. We made an 8-inch double layer kid size cake, knowing that the majority of the adults woudn’t touch it. The adults were disgusted. The kids thought it was the most amazing thing ever. So, if you’re looking for a little cheer, or just a late 80s-early 90s throwback that isn’t as depressing as The Bodyguard, try making a funfetti cake!
A Short History of Funfetti Cake
Pillsbury introduced Funfetti cake mix in 1989, with remarkable panache and marketing genius. It’s hard not to giggle while saying “funfetti,” a brilliant mash-up confetti and fun . Unsuprprisingly, with its rainbow sprinkles mixed into both the vanilla cake batter and frosting, it was wildly popular with kids. It spawned a whole line of baked goods spangled with rainbow sprinkles, including our favorite birthday cookie. Frankly, we can’t think of a baked good that isn’t improved by a dash of rainbow cheer, and we’re extra grateful to the folks over at Sprinklepop who have made it impossible not to want to try a new kind of colorful sprinkles every day.
Recipe Notes:
This cake is VERY sweet. It’s traditionally served with a vanilla buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting, but we prefer a lighter whipped cream cheese to cut the sweetness a bit.
In unrelated news (and assuming you made it this far if you don’t like sprinkles), if you love white cake but don’t love sprinkles, check out our New Orleans Berry Chantilly Cake.
Recipe Facts
- Yield: 1 2-layer 8-inch cake. Serves 8-10.
- Active Time: 45 minutes
- Bake Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients for the Best Funfetti Cake Recipe:
For the White Vanilla Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 egg whites
- 3/4 cup of whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup colorful sprinkles
For the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup (8 ounce block) full fat cream cheese, cold
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
Directions for the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until fluffy and light.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add egg whites until incorporated.
- With mixer on medium speed, slowly add milk until incorporated.
- Add almond extract to taste.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to wet ingredients, 1/3 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of sprinkles.
- Divide the batter between two pans.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes until just golden on top.
- Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes, then turn onto a wire rack, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in freezer to make trimming easier.
Directions for the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 30 minutes for best results.
- Add the cream cheese to the mixing bowl and beat with the whisk attachment until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add the heavy cream and beat until soft peaks form.
For Assembly:
- Trim the cakes.
- Use a round 3-inch cookie cutter to remove the center of the cake you plan to use for the bottom layer.
- Place the cake (with hole in it) on your serving platter or cake stand.
- Fill in the hole with sprinkles, then frost the top of the layer.
- Place the second layer on top, then frost the top of the cake and sides, smoothing with an offset spatula. Any leftover frosting keeps for several days in an airtight container
- Decorate with plenty of sprinkles.
- Cut the cake and enjoy the awe and excitement that accompanies your sprinkle explosion!