homemade funfetti cake (2024)

Funfetti Cake is ultra fluffy, moist, and full of rainbow jimmies! It has the perfect buttery vanilla cake flavor, just like your favorite bakery cake! Frost this cake in the creamiest chocolate frosting and watch it fly off plates at any birthday party or celebration.

This recipe was originally published in April of 2023, but I’ve updated it with new photos and a slightly tweaked recipe as of May 2024. I reduced the butter by 2 tbsp, added 1 tbsp of oil, switched from 4 whole eggs to 3 eggs and 1 egg white, reduced the sour cream from 1 cup to 3/4 cup, and increased the milk from 1 and 1/4 cup to 1 and 1/2 cup. The result is a cake that’s even fluffier & more moist than the old recipe! I’ve also used a chocolate frosting this time, but you can use my vanilla cream cheese frosting if desired.

Why you’ll love this Homemade Funfetti Cake recipe:

• Classic Funfetti Flavor– The buttery, vanilla flavor shines in this classic funfetti cake.
• Velvety Texture –The texture of this cake is so light and velvety, while also being super moist!
• Easy to Make– Follow the directions and success tips given for a perfectly tender and flavorful celebration cake every time!

Ingredient Overview:

• Butter– I prefer salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if that’s your preference.
• Eggs– I tried this cake with 4 whole eggs, but it was slightly denser than I wanted. Switching to 3 whole eggs and 1 egg white yielded the perfect fluffy & moist texture. (Save the extra egg white for your morning scramble!) Use large eggs for best results.
• Milk– I used 2% milk. I think whole milk would also work, but I don’t recommend buttermilk.
• Sour Cream– Use full-fat sour cream at room temperature.
• Cake Flour– Cake flour gives this cake a lighter, more tender crumb than all-purpose flour, so I highly recommend using cake flour here. See sub below.
• Vanilla Extract –Since the flavor in this cake comes from simple quality ingredients, be sure to use real vanilla instead of imitation for the best flavor.
• Vegetable Oil –Using a combination of oil and butter gives this cake the best of both worlds – oil keeps the cake tender and moist, and butter adds flavor.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations:

• Sour Cream– Full fat greek yogurt works in place of the sour cream.
• Cake Flour Substitute –Make your own cake flour by spooning & leveling 1 cup of flour into a measuring cup, using a flat edge to level it off. Add to a mixing bowl, then remove two tablespoons (scoop & level them off). Add two tablespoons of corn starch, then sift this mixture twice. This is important to evenly mix the ingredients and to give the same light texture as cake flour.
• Dairy-free – I haven’t tested a dairy-free version of this cake, but if you already have trusted dairy-free substitutes for baking, you can theoretically go that route.
• Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this cake.
• Vanilla Frosting – Make a batch of my creamy vanilla frosting recipe (from my white birthday cake recipe) if you prefer it to chocolate with your funfetti cake (pictured below)!
• Fruit Jam – I love incorporating jam into cakes for a pop of flavor – use 1/4 to 1/3 cup of jam between layers if desired, making sure to pipe a border of frosting to contain it (I use a Wilton 1A tip). Feel free to use any flavor – raspberry or strawberry would be delicious with the vanilla frosting!

How to Make this Funfetti Cake Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Start Making the Cake Batter.Cream together butter & oil with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Then, add the sugar & beat on high speed for two full minutes. Add the egg whites, two at a time, mixing on medium between each for 45 seconds. until well combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go, to make sure everything is incorporated.

Step 2: Add the Dry Ingredients.Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk as directed below, taking care not to over mix once the flour mixture is added, as this will make a tough cake.

Step 3: Bake the Cake Layers. Divide the cake batter between prepared pans, and bake as directed. Let baked cakes cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Make the Frosting. Beat together butter and powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla and salt. Beat in the cream cheese last.

Step 5: Assemble the Cake.Frost your cake with a creamy vanilla frosting and chill to set the things up a bit before slicing and serving. Use 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting between each of the first two layers, and reserve the rest for the sides and top of the cake.

Serving + Storing:

Chill the assembled cake for about 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, before slicing and serving. (Once the frosting is set, cover the cake with plastic wrap.) This allows the frosting to set up if it got a bit warm while you worked with it. Let a cake that has been in the fridge longer than 30 minutes sit at room temp for 30 minutes or so before slicing and serving, so the frosting isn’t so stiff. Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-4 days.

Expert Success Tips:

• Cold Ingredients –Be sure that your butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream all come out from the fridge about 30 minutes to 1 hour ahead of time to come to room temperature. This absolutely affects the texture and outcome of your cake, so don’t ignore these steps.
• Read through the Recipe –Baking a cake from scratch doesn’t need to be difficult – just be sure to read through the whole thing once before you begin to familiarize yourself with each step.
• Follow the Recipe –Don’t expect the best results if you substitute a lot of ingredients. Do let me know if you try any swaps, I love hearing how it works out!
• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized. 1 cup of cake flour weighs 110 grams, whereas 1 cup all-purpose flour weighs 130 grams. (Some people standardize at 120, 125, 130, or even 135 – I’ve chosen 130 grams for all my recipes.)

FAQs:

Make-Ahead Tips for Funfetti Cake:

Cake layers can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Let them cool completely at room temperature, then place each layer on a large dinner plate and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Keep at room temp until ready to assemble. I recommend making the frosting day-of, not ahead of time. The entire assembled cake can be chilled up to 24 hours in advance of serving. This cake is best within the first 3 days or so.

• Offset Spatula–Offset spatulasmake frosting this delicious dessert so easy! They can also be used for spreading cake and brownie batters evenly in your pan.
• Cake Turntable– If you make at least a few cakes a year,a cake turntablemakes the frosting process a breeze!

More Cake Recipes for a Party:

• Perfect White Cake
• Salted Butterscotch Crunch Cake
• White Forest Cake
• Peach Cobbler Cake
• German Chocolate Cake
• Raspberry Chocolate Ganache Cake
• Best Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
• Mojito Cake

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating below the recipe, letting me know what you thought!

Be sure tofollow bluebowlrecipes on instagramand tag #bluebowlrecipes with a photo of your creation! I’d love to see what you make!

More Cake & Cupcakes