Funfetti Cake!
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A three-layer funfetti cake with all the colourful sprinkles, and a vanilla buttercream frosting!
Funfetti!
It’s been a while since my blog had a little bit of colour on it, and a Funfetti Cake is 100% the best way to get that going. I love a funfetti cake, but in the UK they are much harder to come by. That’s not because people don’t want them, but because most of the sprinkles in the UK are awful!
For those of you who don’t know, a funfetti cake is essentially a basic or vanilla sponge, but with LOADS of sprinkles inside to give a confetti type of effect – but it’s all edible. Funfetti cakes are very popular in America, and they always look amazing!
Sprinkles
The problem we have over here in the UK, is that a lot of sprinkles just don’t have the same colourings or additives to make the sprinkles bright enough to bake with – a lot of the colours used in the sprinkles in America are in fact banned over here, because there are just TOO many additives!
Therefore, it makes it very difficult to get the effect you want. You can buy cake mixes in the uk, such as the Pillsbury funfetti cake mix online, which is probably the easiest way to get where you want – but its a box cake mix, and I know a lot of you aren’t a massive fan of those.
The sprinkles I use…
So, the sprinkles that I use for these recipes? These glorious funfetti sprinkles! These are the only ones I have tried so far… that work! You can try any supermarket ones, and they will either just disappear completely into the sponge, or just turn green.
I realise that buying some sprinkles online just for a cake seems a bit OTT, but if you want a good funfetti cake, and you’re in the UK like me and don’t have access to be best sprinkles ever, then it is SO worth it!
The next catch, is having enough sprinkles. To get lots and lots of colour and fun in the funfetti cake you do need to use lots of sprinkles I am afraid. The sponge itself is just a classic sponge, so it’s hard to get wrong!
Supermarket sprinkles
You can of course try supermarket sprinkles, or even branded ones that you can buy in shops, but be warned that they may not work. The really tiny sprinkle balls, and the sugar strands you can buy at supermarkets tend to be the worst as they’re already so small – so they just vanish!
Quantities
The amount you put into the cake will depend on how big you want the cake to be – as I made a three layer cake as usual, I found the two pots (120g) of sprinkles perfect for the sponges – if you were going to make a smaller version of the cake, you can easily use less sprinkles though!
As I didn’t want to take the mickey with the sprinkles, I didn’t use sprinkles in the frosting – I knew I would need a lot, and you don’t even see most of the frosting as it’s on the inside of the cake, so I just sprinkled some on top!
There are notes in the recipe on how to make a smaller two layer cake, but I hope you enjoy the recipe either way! x
Funfetti Cake!
Ingredients
Sponges
- 400 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 400 g caster sugar
- 400 g self raising flour
- 8 medium eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 g funfetti sprinkles
Decoration
- 300 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 600 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- funfetti sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cakes!
- Preheat your oven to 180ºc/160ºfan and line three 8"/20cm cake tins with parchment paper!
- Beat the unsalted butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add in the self raising flour, eggs and vanilla extract to the mix, and beat again until smooth.
- Pour in the Funfetti Sprinkles, and fold through with a spatula!
- Split the mixture evenly between the three tins - bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until baked through! Check with a skewer (it should be clean!)
- Leave your sponges to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, and then on a wire rack to cool fully!
For the Decoration!
- Beat your room temperature unsalted butter for a couple of minutes to loosen it and make it lighter!
- Add in the icing sugar a bit at a time and mix in fully!
- Add in the vanilla extract, and beat again. If your mixture is really stiff (and I mean, you will not be able to pipe with it - add in 1-2tbsp of boiling water to make it easier to pipe)
- Using your favourite piping tip, pipe buttercream onto your sponges, and add each layer of cake as you go!
- Once you have piped all of the buttercream on, sprinkle the cake with some more Funfetti Sprinkles and enjoy!
Notes
- I used these funfetti sprinkles!
- I would not recommend using cheap and basic sprinkles from the supermarket (if you are in the UK at least) as they don't work!
- If you are lucky enough to live elsewhere in the world with much better sprinkles - try others!
- This cake will last for 3-4 days in a cake box!
- To make a smaller version use:
- 250g butter/sugar/flour and 5 medium eggs
- 1/2tsp vanilla, and 60g sprinkles
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or so!
- Use 200g butter/400g sugar for the frosting!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Hi! In the notes you said smaller version of the cake? Is that a 2 layer version or a smaller inch? Thank you!
That’s two layer!
Made this for my daughters 1st birthday and it turned out amazing, not just the way in which it looked but the taste also!
Would I be able to make this a lemon funfetti cake? Adding zest and juice to the recipe and a lemon drizzle for the sponges? TIA x
Yes of course! Sounds delicious, enjoy! x
Hi Jane. Would these still come out ok in PME tins that are 8 inch by 3 inch deep? Or are they too deep?
Hey! No they’d be fine!! x
Hi Jane could I add a layer of jam into this aswell.with the sponge?
Yeah for sure!
Hello 👋 I’m planning to make this cake for hubby’s bday but I’m planning on covering it in buttercream on outside too will the quantity here stretch to cover it or would I be best to double it?
Thank you ☺️
Yes it’s best to double it!
Made this for my sons’ 15th birthday last week after he didn’t want a supermarket special, and it tasted amazing! Looked awesome even though it was only my second attempt with an icing bag 😂
hi Jane. just wanted to ask how to separate the batter equally between the tins before baking? thanks x
Hi Jane!! Could this be made into a 2 layer cane? What are the ingredient measurements, of you don’t mind? Xxx
Oops never mind, notes in the recipe notes xxx
Hi Jane, what quantity of ingredients would I need to do for using Swiss meringue buttercream for filling and covering the cake? Thank you xx
I’ve made this before and was soooo delicious!! I’m wanting to add another cake layer and food jel instead of sprinkles to create a rainbow cake. I’m just wondering what ingredient adjustments I need to make to add another layer? Thank you xx
The sponge recipe would be the same – just without sprinkles!
Hi this looks great. If I wanted to make a green buttercream frosting (Christmas tree) , will it work by just adding food colouring into the existing recipe?
Many thanks in advance.
Yes, for the frosting just add in colouring! I only recommend good quality colours though otherwise it could look/taste weird if you use supermarket own.
Hi Jane, what butter or stork do you use? If stork, is it the block or the spread? Thanks
You can use unsalted butter or stock tub for the cake, but only actual unsalted butter for the buttercream! x
Hi Jane, firstly can I say thank you for this fab recipe, baked it for the office and it went down a treat!. I wanted to make a large version of this cake for my daughters birthday. I wanted to use a 12″ tin, and only bake 2 tiers, could you assist with advising what quantities I should use and how long I should bake the sponges for and on what gas mark please
Hi Jane I’ve used this recipe several times each time it’s turned out great. Could you tell me if I used 6inch tin how long would I cook it for and the oven temperature please. I’m attempting birthday cakes for my grandchildren this month
Hiya! I’m afraid I rarely bake 6″ sponges so I’m not 100% sure on time – it will depend if you are reducing the quantities as well!
Wow i love the look of this cake ive ordered my sprinkles from iced jems cant wait to make it, your recipes are the best ive ever, do you have a recipe for a rainbow cake please ? Xx
I made this for work this week. It looked and tasted fantastic, thank you for another great recipe 🙂
Hi Jane,
Is there any supermarket brand of sprinkles you can recommend? as I don’t have time to order any 🙁 Alternatively, as I’m making this with short notice, I was also thinking of an option of using colouring to colour the sponge layers and sprinkles on top , which supermarket brand to colour do you recommend? Or Would any food colouring work? or would you recommend the extra strong gels? and would i need to alter the recipe at all when adding these? Thank you so much for all your help I love working my way through your recipes and you’re so helpful 🙂
Hiya – I really don’t recommend any sprinkles or colourings from supermarkets. They’re just not good enough at all. You can buy decent colourings from a hobby craft store – sugarflair or Progel are great!
I made confetti muffins a while back and that is what happened to them all the sprinkles seemed to disappear at least I now know why.
Yes! It really is down to having the correct sprinkles!