This recipe makes a 2-layer vanilla funfetti cake with added sprinkles and a delicious buttercream frosting that is topped with more sprinkles.

The cake is very easy to prepare and the decoration is simple which means it is not too time consuming. This funfetti cake is perfect as a birthday cake especially if you have limited time on your hands but is also perfect as a delicious treat for the family. You can even jazz up your cake by adding some colour to the frosting if you wish.

Ingredients for Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Please find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.

For the Funfetti Cake

Flour - I use self-raising flour for this recipe.
Salt - I use fine sea salt but any salt will do.
Bicarbonate soda - also known as baking soda.
Eggs- this recipes uses 2 egg yolks and 4 egg whites which will need to be separated. The egg yolk is used to provide the cake with some flavour and the egg whites are whisked to make the cake soft and fluffy.
Vanilla - use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Buttermilk - reacts with the bicarbonate soda to make the cake lighter and fluffier. The acid from the buttermilk also breaks down the gluten in the flour resulting in a tender crumb.
Butter - use unsalted soft butter.
Sugar - I use caster sugar also known as superfine sugar.
Oil - use any unflavoured oil including vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola or rapeseed.
Sprinkles - use rainbow sprinkles for the batter and to decorate the cake. Use bake stable sprinkles.

For the Buttercream Frosting

Butter - use soft unsalted butter.
Vanilla - vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Cream - use double cream or heavy cream.
Icing sugar - also known as powered sugar.

How to Make Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Make the cake

1. Line and prepare two 8-inch round cake tins and preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan. In a bowl, sift and whisk the flour, salt and bicarbonate soda then set aside.

2. Separate the eggs then add 4 eggs whites to a bowl and 2 egg yolks to another. Store the 2 remaining egg yolks in the fridge to use for another recipe. To another bowl, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract and buttermilk then whisk and also set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. Pour in the vegetable oil and continue to mix until well combined then mix in the wet ingredients (egg yolk, vanilla extract and buttermilk).

4. Pour in the dry ingredients (flour, salt and bicarbonate soda) and continue to mix until you have a smooth batter. Allow to stand for a minute while you whisk the egg whites. Whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until fluffy then gently fold them whisked into the batter. Mix in the sprinkles then distribute the cake batter equally between the 2 cakes tins.

Bake the cake

5. Bake in the lower part of the oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cake begins to move away from the edges of the cake tin. Once baked, place the tins on wire racks to begin cooling. After 15 minutes, remove the cakes from the tins and place them on the wire racks to completely cool.

Make the buttercream frosting

6. In a stand mixer bowl, beat or whisk the butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and double cream then combine. Sift the icing sugar and add half the icing sugar to the butter. Once the icing sugar is fully combined add the second half of the icing sugar and combine until fluffy.

Frost the cake

7. If needed, level the cakes then place one of the cakes on a turntable or cake board. Spread some frosting on top and spread out equally using a palette knife. Lay the second cake on top and spread the rest of the frosting on and around the whole cake. (You may need to do a crumb coat first – see notes). Once the cake is frosted, add some sprinkles to the top of the cake and allow to set.

Recipe Tips

For this funfetti cake recipe, I use two 8-inch baking tins.
This funfetti cake recipe can also be made into a traybake cake using a 13 x 9-inch rectangle cake tin. Use the exact same recipe for the cake but half the ingredients for the buttercream.
When frosting the cake, you can add a crumb coat first if you want a cleaner finish to your cake. Do this by adding a thin layer of frosting to the whole assembled cake then refrigerate the cake for 1 hour. Once the frosting has set add the rest of the frosting to the cake. This is optional.
Do not waste the egg yolks leftover from this recipe. There are many recipes you can use them for.

Nutrition

Storage

You can store this cake at room temperature overnight in an airtight container. Any cake leftover the following day should be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If the weather is hot or humid then store in the fridge immediately until serving.

Ensure you bring the cake to room temperature when serving from the fridge.

The cake can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost thoroughly before consuming.

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Simple Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Frosting

This recipe makes a 2-layer vanilla funfetti cake with added sprinkles and a delicious buttercream frosting that is topped with more sprinkles.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Yield: 14 servings

Calories: 572kcal

Ingredients

For the funfetti cake

275g self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
4 eggs the eggs will be separated to use 4 egg whites and 2 yolks.
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
240ml buttermilk
150g unsalted butter soft
275g caster sugar
50ml vegetable oil
70g rainbow sprinkles plus extra to decorate the cake (use bake stable sprinkles)

For the buttercream frosting

250g unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
45ml double cream
500g icing sugar

Instructions

Make the cake: Line and prepare two 8-inch round cake tins and preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan. In a bowl, sift and whisk the flour, salt and bicarbonate soda then set aside.
Separate the eggs then add 4 eggs whites to a bowl and 2 egg yolks to another. Store the 2 remaining egg yolks in the fridge to use for another recipe. To another bowl, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract and buttermilk then whisk and also set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. Pour in the vegetable oil and continue to mix until well combined then mix in the wet ingredients (egg yolk, vanilla extract and buttermilk).
Pour in the dry ingredients (flour, salt and bicarbonate soda) and continue to mix until you have a smooth batter. Allow to stand for a minute while you whisk the egg whites. Whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until fluffy then gently fold them whisked into the batter. Mix in the sprinkles then distribute the cake batter equally between the 2 cakes tins.
Bake the cake: Bake in the lower part of the oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cake begins to move away from the edges of the cake tin. Once baked, place the tins on wire racks to begin cooling. After 15 minutes, remove the cakes from the tins and place them on the wire racks to completely cool.
Make the buttercream frosting: In a stand mixer bowl, beat or whisk the butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and double cream then combine. Sift the icing sugar and add half the icing sugar to the butter. Once the icing sugar is fully combined add the second half of the icing sugar and combine until fluffy.
Frost the cake: If needed, level the cakes then place one of the cakes on a turntable or cake board. Spread some frosting on top and spread out equally using a palette knife. Lay the second cake on top and spread the rest of the frosting on and around the whole cake. (You may need to do a crumb coat first – see notes). Once the cake is frosted, add some sprinkles to the top of the cake and allow to set.