Description
Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Funfetti Layer Cake is a delightful and colorful celebration cake with moist, fluffy layers filled with sprinkles inside and a rich, creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. Perfect for birthdays and special occasions, this classic layered cake combines a tender crumb with festive funfetti sprinkles throughout and creamy frosting between layers and on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sprinkles (jimmies or nonpareils)
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later incorporation.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy, ensuring aeration for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the dry flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix each addition just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cake.
- Fold in Egg Whites and Sprinkles: Whisk additional egg whites separately until fluffy and holding soft peaks. Gently fold these into the batter to add lightness. Then, carefully fold in the sprinkles to distribute them evenly without melting their color.
- Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cakes are fully baked.
- Cool the Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in their pans for about 10 minutes. Then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Prepare the Frosting: Beat softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating until the frosting is fluffy and smooth, perfect for spreading.
- Frost the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining layers. Cover the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting to achieve a smooth finish.
- Decorate: Garnish the frosted cake with additional sprinkles if desired for a festive and colorful appearance. Your Funfetti Layer Cake is now ready to serve!
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature ingredients to help the batter mix evenly.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter after adding flour to maintain a tender crumb.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
- Use nonpareil sprinkles if you want to avoid color bleeding in the cake batter.
- This cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
