Homemade Funfetti Cake

Last Updated on June 17, 2022 by Kayla Berman

Funfetti is my family’s tried and true favorite cake! We’ve had it at almost every birthday celebration since I can remember and we typically always make a boxed, sheet cake version. Which is of course delicious, but I have been wanting to create a homemade version for quite some time now! Since my birthday is coming up, on August 6th, it seemed like the perfect time to finally do it. Let me tell you, this Homemade Funfetti Cake is absolutely delicious. I know for a fact it is going to be my family’s new favorite … and your’s too!

Homemade Funfetti Cake has three layers of perfectly soft and rainbow sprinkle filled vanilla cake with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting on top. Made from scratch, funfetti cake is moist, buttery, rich, and of course absolutely delicious! It tastes even better than the box. This showstopper of a cake is absolutely perfect for birthdays and every celebration in between.

homemade funfetti cake

Ingredients needed for Funfetti Cake…

This Homemade Funfetti Cake is pretty much your classic vanilla on vanilla cake with the addition of lots of rainbow sprinkles! You’ll need all your classic cake ingredients – butter, sugar, flour, and lots of love.

  • Butter: Butter is used throughout this recipe in both the cake itself and of course in the buttercream frosting! It adds that rich & delicious flavor we all know and love. You will need 1 cup in the cake & 2 cups in the frosting.
  • Sugars: I am not going to lie, this cake recipe does not go easy on the sugar. But its a birthday cake so that is the way it should be! Add 2 cups sugar to the cake and 6 cups powdered sugar to the frosting.
  • All Purpose Flour: This layered cake calls for the classic all purpose flour. 3 cups is the perfect amount!
  • Eggs: Add 4 eggs to the cake batter for binding and moisture.
  • Milk: You will need milk for both the cake batter and the vanilla buttercream here. I used 2%, but I’m sure whole would work too! Add 1 cup to the batter and 1/4 cup to the frosting.
  • Vanilla Extract: Lots and lots of vanilla extract is added into this funfetti layer cake! It adds such a delicious flavor. Use 2 tsp & 4 tsp, in the cake and frosting respectively.
  • Baking Powder: 4 tsp of baking powder bakes these cakes to fluffy and moist perfection.
  • Rainbow Sprinkles: Rainbow sprinkles are truly the star of the show in this celebratory cake! Add 1/2 cup right into the batter and use extra for decorating.
funfetti layer cake

Kitchen tools for Homemade Funfetti Cake…

There are a few important kitchen tools that you’ll need to make this delicious Funfetti Layer Cake!

  • Cake Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
  • 8″ Cake Pans
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Icing Spatula

Bonus: A cake stand makes for much easier decorating, but is totally not necessary! I do not have one and I was able to decorate this cake perfectly. Or at least perfectly to my amateur cake decorating ability.

funfetti birthday cake

How to make Funfetti Layer Cake from scratch…

This triple layered funfetti cake looks super impressive, but is actually so simple to bake! Bakers at all levels will be able to make this beautiful celebratory recipe with no problem at all.

  1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Start by making the cake batter.  Add the softened butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer until soft and fluffy.  Then add in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients – flour and baking powder.  Add the flour mixture and milk alternately into the cake batter until all is combined, beating after each addition.  Begin and end with the flour for the best results.
  4. Stir in the vanilla extract and rainbow sprinkles.
  5. Next generously grease or parchment paper line 3 8″ cake pans.  Add about 1 1/2 cups of the cake batter to each pan.  Spread evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool completely.  I recommend allowing the cakes to be completely cool before removing from the pans.
  7. For cake assembly begin with one of the 8″ cakes.  Add a scoop of the frosting on top, spread evenly, and then add the next cake.  Repeat this step again for the third layer.
  8. Then you can decorate however you like!  I covered the cake in the buttercream frosting and added a rim of sprinkles around the top, as well as some sprinkles on the side and top of the cake.
  9. Enjoy!
slice of funfetti cake on a plate with a fork taking a bite

How to make a simple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting…

The vanilla buttercream frosting is just as simple to make as the cake is to bake! And as fun as it is to say that rhyming sentence. Lol!

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Start by adding the softened butter, unsalted & salted, to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  2. Next add in the powdered sugar little by little until all is added. Beat in between each addition, starting with a low speed and gradually moving to medium as more sugar is added and combined.
  3. Then beat in the vanilla extract and milk. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are incorporated.

And that’s it! The result should be a smooth, creamy, and delicious vanilla buttercream frosting.

Tip: I recommend making this frosting right before you are ready to use it! However, if you do make the frosting beforehand you can cover, store in the fridge, and then let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using.

homemade funfetti cake

Funfetti Birthday Cake Tips…

Follow the tips & tricks below to get the perfect Homemade Funfetti Cake each and every time!

  • Grease & line the bottom of your cake pans. Doubling up will ensure your cakes can be removed extra easily!
  • Let the cakes cool completely. More info below on why this is important!
  • Crumb coat the cake! A crumb coat is a very thin layer of icing that seals in the moisture of the cake and pats down any crumbs creating an even base. You can then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight and finish up the frosting later!
  • Measure out the batter like instructed. This may seem like an unnecessary step but it will ensure that your cakes are even in size, shape, and even how they are baked. I highly recommend!
funfetti layer cake

Homemade Funfetti Cake FAQS…

What sprinkles should I use in this birthday cake recipe?

You can use whatever rainbow sprinkles you have on hand! Or whichever sprinkles are your favorite.

Here is a classic sprinkle option and a confetti sprinkle option!

Can I use 9″ cake pans? Or 6″?

Yes! I think you can definitely use either 9″ or 6″ cake pans, although I haven’t tested either. You would most likely have to bake for slightly different lengths of time than the 30 minutes required for the 8″ cakes. You also may need more or less of the buttercream frosting!

If you do use different sized cake pans, I would recommend keeping an eye on the cakes in the oven and then of course using the classic toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean or only with a few crumbs, your cakes should be good to go!

Why do I have to completely cool these cakes?

Cooling these cakes is super important! First, it is important for these cakes to be cooled before removing them from their pans. If they are not completely cooled, you risk the cakes falling apart or breaking.

It also helps with frosting & decorating! Cooling prevents the frosting from sliding around and melting off your cake.

Why does this funfetti cake recipe call for both salted & unsalted butter?

I know a lot of cakes call for unsalted butter and then the addition of salt, but I personally love salted butter! I think it is more delicious and eliminates the need to add extra salt to your cake batter.

For the buttercream frosting I use a combination of salted & unsalted. I think this helps to create the perfect level of sweetness for the frosting, but still adds a hint of the salty rich butter taste.

I recommend using the exact butters listed in the recipe ingredients for the best results here!

How do I best store this cake?

This funfetti cake is of course best & most delicious when enjoyed the day it is baked! Simply wrap this full frosted cake with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight and then serve. If the cake is refrigerated, let sit out a bit before cutting into and serving!

You can also cut this cake into slices and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. The slices will dry out quickly though, so I do not recommend storing for much longer for the most delicious cake.

vanilla layer cake with rainbow sprinkles

Looking for more celebratory recipes? Check out the ones below…

Connect with me!

If you make Homemade Funfetti Cake or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on instagram so I can see and share your recreations!

homemade birthday cake
slice of funfetti cake

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

Print

Homemade Funfetti Cake

Homemade Funfetti Cake has three layers of perfectly soft and rainbow sprinkle filled vanilla cake with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting on top. Made from scratch, funfetti cake is moist, buttery, rich, and tastes even better than the box. This showstopper of a cake is perfect for birthdays and every celebration in between!

  • Author: Kayla Berman
  • Prep Time: 90 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 810 Slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked

Ingredients

Scale

Funfetti Layer Cake

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk (I recommend 2%)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Start by making the cake batter.  Add the softened butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer until soft and fluffy.  Then add in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients – flour and baking powder.  Add the flour mixture and milk alternately into the cake batter until all is combined, beating after each addition.  Begin and end with the flour for the best results.
  4. Stir in the vanilla extract and rainbow sprinkles.
  5. Next generously grease or parchment paper line 3 8″ cake pans.  Add about 1 1/2 cups of the cake batter to each pan.  Spread evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool completely.  I recommend allowing the cakes to be completely cool before removing from the pans.
  7. While the cakes are cooling work on the vanilla buttercream.  Start by beating both the softened butters with an electric mixer until smooth.  Then add in the powdered sugar little by a little.  Begin by beating on a low speed and work up to medium once all the sugar is added.  Next beat in the milk and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
  8. For cake assembly begin with one of the 8″ cakes.  Add a scoop of the frosting on top, spread evenly, and then add the next cake.  Repeat this step again for the third layer.
  9. Then you can decorate however you like!  I covered the cake in the buttercream frosting and added a rim of sprinkles around the top, as well as some sprinkles on the side and top of the cake.
  10. Enjoy!

Keywords: Funfetti Cake, Homemade Funfetti Cake, Funfetti Layer Cake, Funfetti Birthday Cake

funfetti layer cake
This post may contain affiliate links, which if a product is purchased through I may recieve a small compensation. I only recommend products I love and use in my life and cooking! Thank you for supporting wellnessbykay.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating

*