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Frosting & Fettuccine

Home » Recipe Search » Layer Cakes

Sep 19, 2022

Light and Fluffy Confetti Cake

5 from 2 votes
BySam Adler
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Learn how to make Confetti Cake from scratch that tastes like the beloved boxed cake mix but better. Three layers of light and fluffy white vanilla cake speckled with rainbow-colored sprinkles are frosted with confetti buttercream.

A confetti cake on a white cake stand.

As a pastry chef, I’ve baked quite a few birthday cakes from scratch, so I can confidently say that confetti cakes are most peoples’ favorite! This nostalgic sprinkle cake flavor is rich, buttery, and very vanilla-y, with rainbow sprinkles mixed into the batter.

The reason it’s called confetti cake is because as the cake bakes, the sprinkles melt, making the signature colorful flecked effect that resembles confetti (hence the name).

FUNFETTI VS. CONFETTI

“Funfetti,” aka confetti, is the term trademarked by Pillsbury, which refers to a white cake mix with multicolored sprinkles. If that sounds familiar, this innovative cake mix was introduced in the late eighties and has since evolved into what we know and love as the best birthday cake.

These step-by-step instructions will show you to make a classic confetti cake and confetti buttercream without any store-bought shorts cuts. Instead, you’ll bake a super sweet, moist, and delicious three-layered confetti cake from scratch slathered in homemade sprinkle frosting.

If you’re a fan of throwbacks like funfetti cake, what could be better than chocolate cake with sprinkles or classic vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles?! You can also try these funfetti cookies, they are so delicious!

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE

  • Confetti is the BEST birthday cake. Kids love it, and it’s a nostalgic treat if you grew up in the 90s!
  • The confetti buttercream is easy to make and better tasting than any store-bought alternative.
  • The cake is made with basic baking ingredients you may already have on hand.
  • Rainbow sprinkles!!!

Cake INGREDIENTS NEEDED

Ingredients for confetti cake.
  • Flour – Fine-milled cake flour is perfect for achieving a light and fluffy texture, while all-purpose flour achieves a denser mouth feel. You can use either one.
  • Baking powder & baking soda – This pair of leavening agents gives the cake its distinct soft and fluffy texture by creating a reaction in the batter as it bakes, causing the cake to rise.
  • Kosher salt – Salt plays a role in activating the leavening agents and also improves sweet flavors.
  • Butter – Softened butter is critical for confetti cake. This is how I soften butter quickly when I’m short on time.
  • Sugar – Makes the cake extra decadent and sweet.
  • Eggs & Egg Whites – The proteins in eggs help strengthen the batter and hold it together. The extra egg whites make the cake extra light and fluffy.
  • Vanilla Extract – Intensifies the sweet and creamy flavors.
  • Buttermilk – The acid in buttermilk reacts with the leavening agent, so the cake turns out light and fluffy. It also adds a touch to the tang to balance out the sweetness.
  • Jimmy Rainbow Sprinkles – Rainbow sprinkles transform this cake into funfetti! These are my favorite.

INGREDIENTS FOR Confetti FROSTING

Ingredients for confetti buttercream.
  • Butter – Again, the butter must be room temperature!
  • Confectioners Sugar – Sweetens and thickens the butter, turning it into the buttercream.
  • Vanilla Extract – Adds smooth, sweet, and indulgent vanilla flavor.
  • Cream – You can use half & half, cream, or milk to help the creamed butter and sugar into a spreadable, glossy, buttercream frosting.
  • Jimmy Rainbow Sprinkles – You can never have enough!

HOW TO MAKE FUNFETTI CAKE FROM SCRATCH

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F, and spray three 8″ round cake pans with baking spray. Set the pans aside.

Combine dry ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until combined. Set the mixture aside.

Cream butter with sugar: In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the sugar, and continue mixing on medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy.

Mix wet ingredients: Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, then add the eggs, egg whites, and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

Mix cake batter: Add 1/3rd of the dry mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Add another 1/3rd of the mixture, followed by the remaining buttermilk. Finish with the last 1/3rd of dry ingredients. Mix the ingredients until a smooth, cohesive batter forms (do not overmix!). Finally, mix in the sprinkles by hand (again, do not overmix!).

Bake & cool: Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan (35 minutes). Set the pans on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes and finish cooling completely on a wire rack.

Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar.
A mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl.
Add the eggs and vanilla.
Vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl.
Finish making the batter.
Sprinkles added to vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl.
Add the sprinkles.
Cake batter divided into 3 baking pans.
Evenly fill 3 cake pans and bake!

How to make confetti buttercream frosting

Make the buttercream: Add softened butter and confectioners sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing to medium as the mixture combines. Mix for 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low, and add in vanilla extract and cream. Mix on low-medium speed for 1 minute. Finally, add the sprinkles and mix by hand.

Assemble confetti cake: Spread a layer of frosting over top of 2 of the three cakes. Stack one on top of the other, and then place the third cake on top. Generously frost the exterior of the stacked cake, and garnish with -you guessed it, more sprinkles!

Vanilla buttercream in a bowl.
Make the buttercream.
Sprinkles mixed into buttercream.
Add the sprinkles!

TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS

  • To measure flour correctly, fluff it up, spoon it from the container and into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Otherwise, you’ll end up with too much flour. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale!
  • For the batter to mix and bake properly, everything must be at room temperature (butter, eggs, and buttermilk).
  • For precision, the cake pans should weigh between 672-674 grams each after dividing the batter evenly. I used these 8″ round cake pans.
  • Classic confetti cake must be made with classic jimmies! Other types of sprinkles will bleed color into the batter. This will not work with nonpareils or glitter sprinkles.
  • Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting, or else the frosting will destabilize and side right off.
  • If you want to pipe the frosting, make sure to use a large tip, otherwise the sprinkles will get stuck inside. Alternatively you can leave out the sprinkles from the frosting and then add them on after the cake is frosted.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

Storing: To store this 3-layer confetti cake, place it in a tall airtight cake carrier and keep it at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to one week.

Making Ahead & Freezing: The cakes themselves freeze well without frosting. Wrap each cake in a tight layer of plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or wrap securely in a couple of layers of foil. Keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw on the countertop, and then decorate.

A slice of confetti cake on a pink plate.

Yield

This is a large cake and can feed about 16 people. The cake is tall so you don’t need to cut huge slices!

FAQ

What frosting goes with funfetti cake?

Vanilla buttercream frosting is perfect for any birthday cake, but when it comes to funfetti cake, the best frosting is vanilla buttercream dotted with rainbow jimmies!

Can I bake funfetti cake batter in a bundt pan?

Sure! Spray a bundt pan with baking spray, and bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is set and the sides pull away from the pan.

How do you make funfetti mix better?

Put back the box of Funfetti cake mix, and make it from scratch! This guarantees the quality of the ingredients, and you’ll know exactly what you’re baking with. Boxed cake mixes are convenient but come with a long list of preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and dyes.

WAYS TO ENJOY

Reinvent this childhood favorite by switching up the funfetti frostings with another whimsical flavor. The options listed below pair perfectly with confetti cake, and this post will show you how to apply frosting like the pros.

  • White Chocolate Buttercream
  • Marshmallow Frosting
  • Strawberry Buttercream

More fun cake recipes

  • Easy Marble Bundt Cake (One Batter!)
  • Moist 3 Layer Caramel Cake
  • Quick and Easy Chocolate Chip Pound Cake (No Sour Cream!)
  • Easy & Moist Chocolate Pumpkin Sheet Cake
A slice of confetti cake on a pink plate.

Light and Fluffy Confetti Cake (Better than a Box!)

Learn how to make Confetti Cake from scratch that tastes like the beloved boxed cake mix but better.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Cake, Cakes, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Kosher
Keyword: confetti cake, confetti cake from scratch, fluffy confetti cake, homemade confetti cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cooling and Assembling: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 569kcal
Author: Sam Adler

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ cup flour (390g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup butter 227g
  • 2 cup sugar 400g
  • 2 eggs large
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 ½ tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup jimmy rainbow sprinkles

For the Buttercream

  • 1 cup butter softened (227g)
  • 3 cups confectioners sugar 360g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons half and half cream, or milk
  • ½ cup classic jimmy rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and spray 3 8” round cake pans with baking spray and set aside.
  • In a medium size bowl combine the 3 1/4 cup cake flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the 1 cup butter for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and add the 2 cups of sugar. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
    Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • Scrape down the bowl and add the 2 eggs, 4 egg whites and 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
    A mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl.
  • Add in 1/3rd of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk and alternate, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until combined. Do not overmix.
    Vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl.
  • Add in 1 cup of the sprinkles and mix by hand until combined.
    Sprinkles added to vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl.
  • Evenly divide the batter into the 3 pans and bake for 35 minutes or until the cake edges break away from the pan.
    Cake batter divided into 3 baking pans.

Cool and make the buttercream.

  • Add the 1 cup butter and 3 cups powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed working up to medium as the mixture combines. Mix on medium for 1 minute.
  • Change the speed to low and add in the 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp cream. Mix on low-medium speed for 1 minute.
    Vanilla buttercream in a bowl.
  • Add in the ½ cup sprinkles and mix by hand until combined.
    Sprinkles mixed into buttercream.
  • Assemble the cake- fill and stack the cake with the frosting, then frost the outside of the cake. Add more sprinkles for garnish if desired!
    A confetti cake on a white cake stand.

Notes

Make sure to use classic rainbow jimmy sprinkles and not glitter or non pareil sprinkles because they will bleed into the cake. Jimmy sprinkles keep their shape and color when baked.
If you want to pipe the frosting, make sure you use a large tip, otherwise the sprinkles can get caught inside. Alternatively you can leave the sprinkles out of the frosting and add them on after the cake is covered.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Light and Fluffy Confetti Cake (Better than a Box!)
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 569 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 83mg28%
Sodium 380mg17%
Potassium 79mg2%
Carbohydrates 82g27%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 62g69%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 764IU15%
Vitamin C 0.004mg0%
Calcium 62mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Filed Under: Layer Cakes Tagged With: confetti

About Sam Adler

Sam Adler is a Le Cordon Bleu professionally trained pastry chef, Saveur Blog Award winner, food photographer, and food blogger over on FrostingandFettuccine.com. She has been featured in numerous online and in-print publications including Taste of Home Magazine, Saveur Magazine, The Feed Feed, and Food Blogger Pro. Sam lives in Hollywood florida with her husband, two young kids, and french bulldog. When she’s not baking and dancing in her kitchen you can find her at her favorite yoga spot.

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Hi! Im Sam Adler,

I'm a professionally trained pastry chef and food photographer.
This is a place where you will find easy yet impressive looking desserts. I also share a ton of food photography resources too! What can I say, I love pretty & delicious baked goods! Learn more about me!

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1. “Like a rainbow with all of the colors” sprinkle cookies 
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#ad This year for Chanukah we’re switching it up #ad This year for Chanukah we’re switching it up from classic sufganiyot to make these fun donut fries! Puffy, golden, and delicious, dip your “fries” into melted chocolate or raspberry jelly and celebrate all week long! @aldiusa makes it super easy with their amazing selection of high quality products at seriously unimaginable prices. Run to your nearest @aldiusa to find all the ingredients you need to make these and have a Happy Chanukah!
Find the recipe below!

#ALDILove
Prep time: 1 hr 45 mins
Cook time: 1 min
Yield: 40 donut fries
2 pack Baker’s Corner Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs
2 tbsp Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Carlini Pure Vegetable Oil
5-6 cups Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ cup Baker’s Corner Powdered Sugar
For Dipping:
1 cup Baker’s Corner Dark or Milk Chocolate Morsels
Simply Nature Organic Raspberry Preserves
Method:
•Mix the yeast with water in a mixer bowl and let stand for 10 mins until frothy. Add the
sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil to the bowl and mix until well combined.
•Start adding only 5 cups of flour and salt, and knead/mix on medium speed in a stand mixer
fitted with the dough attachment for 5 minutes until a soft, non-sticky dough forms. If the
dough seems sticky, add ¼ cup flour to the dough until it no longer sticks to the bowl when
mixing.
•Let the dough rest in the bowl for an hour to double in size. 
•Punch down the dough and remove it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Using a
lightly floured rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle. About 18”x 15” and 1/2 of an inch in
thickness. 
•Using a pizza cutter, cut in half vertically. Then slice thin strips horizontally. You want them
thin as they will puff up while frying.
•Let the fries rest for another 15 mins. 
•Meanwhile, using a deep fryer or a large pot, heat your oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the donut
fries 30 seconds per side, then drain on a paper towel.
•Dust the donut fries with powdered sugar and set aside.
•Microwave 1 cup of dark or milk chocolate for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Scoop
jelly into another bowl. Dip the fries in the chocolate or jelly!
Happy birthday @taylorswift 👸🏼 hope it feels Happy birthday @taylorswift 👸🏼 hope it feels like a perfect night and you’re not weepin in a party bathroom. IYKYK
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