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A three-layer frosted Funfetti birthday cake with rainbow jimmies, a single lit candle, and a "Happy Birthday" cake topper on a white cake stand, with a matching slice on a small plate beside it.

Funfetti Birthday Cake Recipe (Moist, From Scratch, Sprinkles That Don't Bleed)

A soft, moist vanilla layer cake loaded with rainbow sprinkles and topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream. This homemade funfetti cake finally solves the sprinkle bleeding problem that ruins most from scratch versions.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Funfetti Cake Layers
  • 3 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil vegetable or canola
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1//2 tsp almond extract optional
  • 3/4 cup rainbow jimmies long sprinkles, not nonpareils
Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened
  • 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 2 8 or 9 inch round cake pans For the classic layer cake height
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer For creaming and frosting
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale For accurate flour measurement
  • 1 Cake tester or toothpick For doneness check
  • 1 Offset spatula For smooth frosting application
  • 1 Wire cooling rack For cooling layers evenly
  • 1 Cake turntable For even, professional frosting
  • As needed Parchment paper rounds For easy layer release

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
    Three round metal baking pans, greased, floured, and lined with parchment paper rounds, sitting on a wooden countertop.
  2. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
    A large glass bowl filled with cake flour, baking powder, and salt on a wooden countertop, with a container labeled "cake flour" in the background.
  3. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    A glass bowl containing light and fluffy creamed butter, oil, and sugar mixture for a Funfetti birthday cake on a wooden countertop.
  4. Add egg whites in two additions, mixing until just combined after each.
    A glass bowl containing smoothly mixed batter with egg whites incorporated for a Funfetti birthday cake on a wooden table.
  5. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
    A glass bowl of cake batter with swirls of vanilla and almond extract on a wooden countertop.
  6. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
    A glass bowl showing flour being mixed into the batter alternately with buttermilk for a Funfetti birthday cake.
  7. Immediately fold in the jimmies using a spatula and as few strokes as possible.
    A glass bowl filled with cake batter and colorful jimmies sprinkled evenly on top, ready to be folded in.
  8. Divide the batter evenly among the three pans and bake right away for 22 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Three round baking pans filled evenly with Funfetti cake batter, studded with colorful sprinkles, sitting on a wooden table.
  9. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
    Three baked Funfetti cake layers cooling completely on a wire rack on a wooden tabletop.
  10. Beat the butter alone for 2 minutes until pale and creamy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream. Add vanilla and salt, then beat on high for 2 minutes until fluffy.
    A glass bowl filled with smooth, fluffy white frosting on a wooden countertop.
  11. Frost between each layer, apply a thin crumb coat, refrigerate for 20 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting and press jimmies onto the sides and top.
    A fully frosted three-layer Funfetti birthday cake on a white cake stand, decorated with piped borders and colorful jimmies pressed along the lower sides and top edge.

Notes

  • Use jimmies, not nonpareils, for clean, unbled color.
  • Fold sprinkles in as the very last step, then bake immediately.
  • Measure flour by spooning and leveling, not by scooping directly from the bag.
  • Cool layers completely on a wire rack before frosting to avoid melted buttercream.
  • Store refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.