Homemade Funfetti Cake (A Delicious Sprinkle Cake!)
Welcome to version 2.0 of my Sprinkle Cake! This is a super moist, vanilla, and butter-forward cake with a fluffy, spongy white crumb. It’s a versatile flavor and cake that goes with almost any type of frosting.
In this recipe I'll show you how to I made three 8 inch layers this sprinkle cake. You can use any frosting you like with this cake, but I'll include the frosting you see in the pic above, which is my American Dreamy Buttercream.
Why did I change the original recipe?
Well, I’ve become a much better cake recipe developer since I first created this one a couple of years ago. The original sprinkle cake was based on a yellow cake; Sprinkle 2.0 is from a new group of white cakes. This, along with the lack of egg yolks, produces a whiter cake that can hold more moisture and give it a plush texture.
Buckle up - I researched the heck out of this cake, and it’s a good one.
What ingredients go into my Sprinkle Cake?
Cake flour is a finely milled, lower-protein type of flour.
Baking powder is the leavening agent. Combined with liquids and heat, the baking powder activates in the oven, allowing the cake to rise.
Salt
Egg whites are whipped up and provide moisture and structure. No yolks are used in this recipe, so stash those in the fridge for something else :)
White sugar provides the sweetness and moisture for this cake. It’s used in two ways for this cake. The first is to cream with the fats, and a second amount is used to stabilize the meringue. I’ve labeled each carefully, so pay attention to the instructions, so you add the correct amount.
Unsalted butter is a fat source that provides moisture and flavor. Unsalted is best to use in baking because it allows us to customize the salt content of our baked goods.
Oil is a fat source and provides moisture for the crumb. Use a flavorless kind such as canola or vegetable.
Vanilla and almond extract flavor the cake. If you don’t want to use almond, just sub in for extra vanilla. If you’re going for pure nostalgia and want to make a cake that tastes like Pilsbury’s Funfetti box cake (which uses artificial flavorings) - use artificial vanilla extract. I use this brand here - it’s clear, so it doesn’t tint your batters or frostings, and it has a tasty nostalgic flavor that is surprisingly good. (Amazon link)
Buttermilk is a source of liquid and acidity for the cake.
Sprinkles provide color to the interior of the cake. I usually use two brands - the Target ones here, which have more of the primary colors, or the Wilton brand, which has some pink sprinkles. These sprinkles typically melt straight into the batter when heated without minimal bleeding during the mixing step. By adding them in at the very end, we can limit the amount of color bleeding and get an excellent design on the inside of the final cake.
Step by step:
How to make the Sprinkle 2.0 cake
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350F
Step 2. Prep pans
Take 3 8” round cake pans, spray with oil or butter, and lay a piece of circle parchment onto the bottoms.
Step 3. Sift the dry ingredients
Sift (3a) and thoroughly whisk (3b) to combine the baking powder throughout.
Step 4. Make the meringue
Whip up the egg whites while slowly pouring sugar to create a stable meringue.
Step 5. Cream the fats and sugar
Now let’s start the batter by creaming the fats and sugar (5a). It should be off white and slightly granular like this (5b).
Step 6. Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients
Alternate adding the dry ingredients with buttermilk to ensure even mixing.
Step 7. Fold in meringue
Carefully fold in the meringue to give the cake a bit of lift while baking (7a). During the last bit of meringue, add the sprinkles (7b) and continue to fold (7c).
Step 8. Bake for 35-40 minutes
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake (8a).You’ll know the cake is done when it springs back when touched or reaches 200F (8b).
Step 9. Allow cakes to cool slightly
Wrap while slightly warm to lock in moisture or use when cooled.
Ok onto the recipe; the one below makes an 8 inch cake with three layers, so it's a pretty big cake. If you need this recipe in another size or want to make cupcakes, use my Cakeculator and choose "Sprinkle 2.0" for the cake flavor. I have plenty of sizes to mess around with.
Happy Baking :)
Video
Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.
I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Sprinkle Cake with Vanilla American Dreamy Buttercream
Sprinkle Cake
- 4 1/2 cups (540g) cake flour*
- 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Kosher)
- 9 large (270g) egg whites, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (36g) granulated white sugar (for meringue 🥚)
- 9 tablespoons (126g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 cups (399g) granulated white sugar (for butter 🧈)
- 9 tablespoons (111g) oil (flavorless such as canola or veg)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (real or imitation)
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) almond extract (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups (366g) buttermilk (any fat content), room temperature
- 12 tablespoons sprinkles**
Vanilla American Dreamy Buttercream
- 3 3/4 cups (850g) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 1 2/3 cups (520g) light corn syrup**
- 3 1/8 cups (352g) powdered sugar (unsifted ok)***
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste, start with a pinch)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sprinkle Cake
- 4 1/2 cups (540g) cake flour*
- 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Kosher)
- 9 large (270g) egg whites, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (36g) granulated white sugar (for meringue 🥚)
- 9 tablespoons (126g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 cups (399g) granulated white sugar (for butter 🧈)
- 9 tablespoons (111g) oil (flavorless such as canola or veg)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (real or imitation)
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) almond extract (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups (366g) buttermilk (any fat content), room temperature
- 12 tablespoons sprinkles**
Vanilla American Dreamy Buttercream
- 3 3/4 cups (850g) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 1 2/3 cups (520g) light corn syrup**
- 3 1/8 cups (352g) powdered sugar (unsifted ok)***
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste, start with a pinch)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Bake the cake:
- Move your oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter the insides of three 8” cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper. Dust a very light coating of flour inside the pans.
- Sift cake flour and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk the kosher salt in a large bowl for at least 30 seconds to distribute the baking powder evenly.
- Let’s prep the meringue. To your mixing bowl, add the egg whites. Pour the white granulated sugar (labeled “for meringue 🥚") into a small bowl so it’s easy to add to the egg whites while mixing.
With a hand or stand mixer and the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed until it’s thicker with large bubbles. It will look like really sudsy dishwater. Pour in about 1/2 tsp of sugar, continue to whisk, and then pour another 1/2 teaspoon. No need to be precise on the amount of sugar, but wait about 5-10 seconds between additions to allow the sugar to dissolve a little before adding more.
Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whisk until you reach stiff and glossy peaks. When you pull up some meringue with the whisk attachment, you should see a point that bends just a little when you hold it upside down, and it shouldn’t be runny or drooping off the whisk.
Pour the meringue into a small bowl and set that aside for now. (No need to clean this bowl, we’ll use it to make the rest of the batter.) - In that same meringue mixing bowl and with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar (labeled “for butter 🧈") on medium-high for about 3-5 minutes until lighter in color and fluffier. Add the oil, vanilla, and almond extracts and beat for another 2 minutes. It should turn whiter in color or more tan, depending on the potency of your vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl.
- We will now alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk. Add the flour in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 additions as follows:
Add half of your flour mixture to the butter-sugar bowl. On low speed, mix until all the flour has just been incorporated. Scrape down with a spatula.
Add in half of your buttermilk, mix on low speed and scrape.
Next, add half of your remaining flour mixture, mix on low speed and scrape.
Add the rest of your buttermilk, mix on low, and scrape. Finish with the rest of the flour, mix on low, and scrape. - Take 1/2 of your meringue and fold it into the cake batter with a spatula. Use swooping motions to scoop the batter from the sides and pile it towards the center. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl once in a while. Once all the batter contains no more streaks of meringue, add the second half plus the sprinkles and continue to fold. It’s essential to ensure that the batter is thoroughly combined with the eggs, or you may get an uneven rise in the final cake. (This is usually more apparent in the larger 6 or 8” cakes but less with cupcakes.) The batter should not have any lines of meringue, be tan or cream in color with evenly dispersed sprinkles throughout, and be slightly more voluminous.
- Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 35-40 mins or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. (Start around 30 mins.) If you do not have three pans, you can bake them one after another. Let the batter sit out at room temperature until you’re ready to bake it.
- Move the pans to a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool in the pans completely.
- Loosen the edges of the cakes using an offset spatula or butter knife, and flip the cakes out onto a cooling rack so you can peel off the parchment bottom. Make sure they are completely cool before assembling and/or frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until it's paler in color and slightly more voluminous.
- Add the corn syrup in 3 to 5 additions. Stop the mixer, add a little bit first, and mix it in at medium speed (still using the whisk attachment). Repeat until all the corn syrup has been added. Scrape down the bowl a couple of times to ensure everything is mixed well.
- Once all the corn syrup has been added, mix at the highest speed for one minute.
- Now give the frosting a taste. It should be smooth, creamy, and very buttery with a slight sweetness. This is to gauge how much powdered sugar to add in this step based on your preference. (Notice how glucose - the sugar used in corn syrup - is not as sweet as powdered sugar.)
- Add the powdered sugar in a few additions, mixing on low speed to reduce the mess.
- Once all the sugar has been added, mix on high speed for 30 seconds. Give it another taste. Do you want it sweeter or need a firmer consistency of buttercream?
- You can stop here or add as much powdered sugar as you like. It can handle way more, but remember that the more you add, the sandier the finished frosting will be.
- Now let's flavor and color the buttercream. Add the vanilla, a pinch of salt, and, optionally, a toothpick's end of purple food coloring (to achieve a whiter shade). Mix on high speed for another minute.
- Switch over to a paddle attachment and run the frosting on low speed to get out any large air pockets. The finished buttercream will have minimal air bubbles and be ready to use.
Frost your cake as desired!
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*Cake flour is best for this recipe. It’s more finely milled and has a lower protein than all-purpose flour. This translates to a more delicate and softer cake crumb. I use King Arthur Flour’s Unbleached Cake Flour, but the bleached versions will work just as well. I have made this recipe using all-purpose flour; it’s still delicious, but the cake’s interior will be a little more coarse.
**I use Karo light corn syrup, which is a syrup of sugars (glucose + maltose) derived from corn. The "light" is just an indication of the color of the syrup (not the sweetness.) You'll probably be able to substitute other syrups here if you like, but corn syrup is a flavorless option that allows us to customize this recipe for different flavors later on. If you do sub something else, know that corn syrup is less sweet than most other baking sugars. You'll likely have to use less than what I've written in this recipe here.
***This is a little over the maximum amount of sugar that will dissolve in the water contained in the butter. If you want less sweet buttercream, use less. If you want a stiffer consistency or sweeter buttercream, use more. Just know the more you add, the more grainy the finished buttercream will be. Don't worry, though; it will still be light years smoother than a traditional American buttercream.
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