Don't let the sprinkles fool you. This moist and tender all-butter Funfetti Cake is more than just a pretty face with a party attitude. For all it's lighthearted whimsy, this is one of the most seriously delicious cakes I've ever eaten.
Why This Recipe Works
Very slowly, put down the Funfetti Cake mix box and no one will get hurt.
I have a couple of friends who shall remain nameless who really love those boxes of Funfetti Cake. You know who you are, and right now, I'm speaking to YOU.
I know you've got a lot going on and that baking a cake from scratch seems like a lot to ask. But you've got to trust me on this. THIS cake is just so much better than those boxes you've been buying AND it's seriously easy to make. Put down the mix and we can still be friends. 😁
In truth, this Funfetti Cake Recipe is basically the same recipe I use to make these super simple 1-hour Buttermilk Caramel Cupcakes. I started there because, well, those cupcakes rock. They are dead simple to make and so delicious they've become my go-to cupcake recipe.
The secret to the irresistible deliciousness of those cupcakes and this Funfetti Cake is buttermilk and butter.
The Two Most Important Ingredients for a Delicious Funfetti Cake {besides the sprinkles}
- Buttermilk. If you don't have any buttermilk here are 7 ways to make homemade buttermilk.
- Butter
Buttermilk is one of those magical ingredients I have in my refrigerator at all times. Not only is it the secret behind the best roast chicken you will every have, it makes cakes, cornbread, pancakes, and waffles dreamily fluffy, tender, and moist.
Perhaps most importantly, buttermilk adds flavor.
You know what else adds flavor to cake? Butter.
There are those that feel Funfetti Cake must be perfectly white. I just can't climb onboard that train. I also don't subscribe to the idea that vanilla cake must be perfectly white, so this is not a surprise. If you want a cake to be super white, the batter must contain all white ingredients. In other words, butter and egg yolks and plenty of vanilla are not allowed.
I really love egg yolks and butter and lots of vanilla in my cake because those ingredients add flavor. And, I care about the flavor of my cake more than the color. Also, I think the off-white pale yellow color of this Funfetti Cake is lovely.
Mix and match: More frosting options for this cake
This cake is the perfect match for Italian Meringue Buttercream, but here are four other delicious frosting recipes that pair beautifully with this cake:
What Kind of Sprinkles are Best for Funfetti Cake?
We need to distinguish between the sprinkles you want to use inside your Funfetti Cake and the sprinkles you want to use on the outside of your Funfetti Cake to decorate it.
Inside the cake: Even though I have a super awesome sprinkle collection, most of the bottles are the decorating kind of sprinkles rather than the kind that work well in cake batter. Do NOT use those little balls (also called nonpareils) in Funfetti Cake batter.
When you mix nonpareils into Funfetti Cake batter, the color bleeds and gives the batter a kind of grey-ish color. What you want to use inside the cake batter is rainbow sprinkles (also called jimmies).
Also, there's a whole cup of sprinkles in there. If you're buying your sprinkles in little bottles, that means you're going to need several. OR - Amazon has this awesome giant jar of rainbow sprinkles that works perfectly in the batter. You'll have plenty for this cake PLUS plenty left, giving you the perfect excuse to make Funfetti Cake again and again. And again. 🙌
Outside the cake: This is easy. Use whatever kind of sprinkles you like to decorate your Funfetti Cake. In fact, if you like (and I do), use aaaaaalllll the sprinkles. 🎉
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Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
All Butter Funfetti Cake
Don't let the sprinkles fool you. This moist and tender all-butter Funfetti Cake is one of the most delicious cakes I've ever eaten.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) flour
- ¼ cup (28 grams) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 16 tablespoons (8 ounces/ 226 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cup (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature (Here's how to separate eggs.)
- 1 ½ cups (340 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup rainbow sprinkles (also called jimmies)
Frost Funfetti Cake or Cupcakes with:
- Classic American Buttercream (My first choice for this cake)
- Italian Meringue Buttercream
- White Chocolate Ganache Buttercream
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper that is also slathered with a bit of butter or shortening. (Step-by-step instructions for preparing cake pans.) If making cupcakes, line cupcake pans with paper liners. (This recipe makes 30 cupcakes. *See note.)
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine.
- Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until completely combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 of the eggs. Beat on high until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the other 2 eggs plus the egg yolk. Beat on high until the eggs are fully incorporate and the batter is perfectly smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour and buttermilk in alternating additions: ¼ of the flour, ⅓ of the buttermilk, ¼ of the flour, ⅓ of the buttermilk, ¼ of the flour, the last of the buttermilk, and the last of the flour. After each addition, mix on low speed just long enough to barely incorporate. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl a time or two.
- Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently stir the sprinkles into the batter, stirring just long enough to evenly distribute them.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans or cupcake cups. (*See note.)
- Bake cake layers for 33 - 38 minutes. Bake cupcakes for 23 - 26 minutes. To check for doneness, stick a toothpick into the center of one of the cake layers or cupcakes. Remove the toothpick and look for signs of raw batter. If only cake crumbs stick to the toothpick, the cake is done.
- Remove from the oven and place the pans on wire racks. Let cool for 5 minutes, then gently turn them out of the pans onto the wire racks to cool completely. Or, gently lift the cupcakes from the pan, setting them on the wire racks. If you don’t plan on frosting the cake or cupcakes soon after they cool, wrap each layer tightly with plastic wrap, or put the cupcakes in zip top bags. The cake or cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for 1 day, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- If you only have one or two cupcake pans, bake the cupcakes in shifts. It can be useful to fill the cupcakes all at once so that you know you’re filling them evenly – just set extra paper liners on the countertop and distribute the batter evenly amongst all 30 cupcakes.
- No buttermilk? No problem. DIY Buttermilk: How to make your own
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 435Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 345mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 1gSugar: 41gProtein: 5g
Mia says
I'm about to make this cake, all your recipes looks amazing. Typically with buttermilk, there's some baking soda, but you don't include. Any reason why?
Thanks!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Mia! You are correct that buttermilk and baking soda usually go together because the acid in the buttermilk interacts with the baking soda. In this recipe, that's unnecessary - the baking powder gives the cake all the leavening it needs. The buttermilk is creates a more tender crumb and adds flavor to the batter. Does that answer your question? Have you made this cake yet? How did it come out for you?
Mia says
Hi - thanks much. Not yet - but will soon.
Mia says
ANother question , as buttercream hardens in fridge and I plan on baking/frosting day before event, how long before serving should I take out of fridge?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Mia! I'd take the buttercream from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before you want to use it. Use a spatula to break it up after it's been sitting on the counter top for 30-60 minutes or so, and then use an electric mixer to re-whip it before using it to cover the cake. If it's still a bit cold and hard, rewhipping it will soften it up and bring it back to a creamy consistency. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Jane says
Hi is it possible to use all purpose flour?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Jane! Yes, absolutely! Substituting some of the flour with cornstarch is simply a way of creating a softer texture. You could also use 2 3/4 cups cake flour instead of the all-purpose flour and cornstarch. But, using 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour will work perfectly well, the texture just won't be quite as soft. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it! xo
Lara says
Hi! I really want to try this recipe but I'm nervous about the all-butter. I usually make cakes that have a mix of butter and oil and have found cakes that only use butter tend to be dense/dry. Could I add a tablespoon or two of oil to the batter or is it moist on its own?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Lara! I totally understand your concern. Most of the cake recipes on this blog include a mix of both butter and oil for exactly that reason. In this recipe, I found it wasn't necessary. The buttermilk keeps the cake tender and beating the butter and sugar for a solid 5 minutes incorporates enough air to create a fluffy texture. Having said that, you could totally replace a couple tablespoons of the butter with oil and have a good result. One thing to be careful of is that adding oil to the batter can make the color on the sprinkles run. Just stir them in very gently, stirring just long enough to distribute them through the batter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it! xo
Leila says
That would be so nice! We could also taste dutch apple pie and "stroopwafel". I'll share my result with you. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Leila says
Hi Rebecca,
How many grams or cups is 16tbsp butter? I so want to try this one
Greetings from the Netherlands
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Leila! I wish I could take a trip to the Netherlands and bake this cake with you! 1 tablespoon of butter = 14.2 grams. So, for this recipe, you'll need a total of 227.2 grams of butter. Or, if measuring in cups is easier, 16 tablespoons of butter is = to 1 cup. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to know what you think of this cake after you make it! xo
Tolu says
I made this recipe but I didn't use cornstarch. It came out amazing! My household loved it and it finished in a day. I loved it too. It was fluffy and the texture was great. I am so glad I followed this recipe because it was for a birthday.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Tolu! I am so happy to hear that you and your family liked this cake! I've made it for many birthdays and it's always a hit. I'm so glad it worked out for your birthday celebration as well. xo
Kelly says
Looking forward to giving this recipe a try!! If I wanted to substitute cake flour for the AP flour, should I omit the cornstarch as well? Thanks!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Yes! That's correct! Just use 2 3/4 cups cake flour. I can't wait to hear what you think of this cake! xo