This Funfetti Cake is fluffy and moist, with buttery vanilla flavor and rainbow jimmies in every bite! Frost this cake in the creamiest vanilla cream cheese frosting and watch it fly off plates at any birthday party or celebration.
3 and 1/2cupscake flour, spooned & leveled392 grams
1tbspbaking powder
3/4tspbaking soda
3/4tspsalt
1/2cup+ 2 tbsp salted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2cupvegetable oil
1 and 2/3cupsgranulated sugar
2/3cuplight brown sugar, packed
4tspvanilla bean pasteor vanilla extract
4largeeggs, at room temperature
1cupfull fat sour cream, at room temperature
1 and 1/4cupsmilk, at room temperature I used 2%
1cupjimmy sprinkles, plus extra for decorating the cake
For the Frosting
1 and 3/4cupssalted butter, softened at room temperature 3 and 1/2 sticks, 396 grams
7 and 1/2cupspowdered sugar
1-2tbspheavy cream or milk
5tspvanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
pinchofsaltto taste
12ozfull fat cream cheese, at room temperature
Instructions
Prep: Make sure all cold ingredients have come to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare three 9-inch cake pans. Use a paper towel to rub shortening all over the inside of each pan, coating them evenly and completely. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit inside each (tracing is the easiest way). Place this on top of the greased pan bottom, then grease over the parchment paper as well. Add a handful of flour, and tap the pan around to evenly coat the entire inside with flour, tapping out the excess.
Make the Cake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter for about 30 seconds, until creamy. Add the vegetable oil and cream together with the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugars and beat on high speed for 2 full minutes. The mixture will be fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl down throughout, to ensure everything is combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed between each addition, for 45 seconds. The mixture will be very fluffy. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix on medium low speed until just combined.Add half of the dry ingredients with the mixer running on low speed. Add the milk with a few streaks of flour remaining, then when the milk is almost mixed in, add the remaining dry ingredients. When just a few streaks of flour remain, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to make sure everything is combined – don't over mix! Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula last.
Bake: Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans. (You can eyeball this or use a kitchen scale.) Bake the cakes, the first two pans together on a rack positioned in the center of the oven, and then the 3rd pan on its own after the first two are done. This will ensure the most even bake. Bake the cakes for 22-26 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will pull out moist crumbs. Let cakes cool in the pans on cooling racks for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.
Make the Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter. Add the powdered sugar in 3 additions, mixing until smooth between each, adding 1-2 tbsp of heavy cream or milk as needed. Mix in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat in the softened cream cheese last.
Assemble & Frost the Cake: Place the first cake layer on a cake stand (I stick my cake stand on a turntable to make things easy). Use 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting (340 grams) to top the layer, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula. Repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer and give the cake a thin layer of frosting on top and on the sides. Use a cake scraper to smooth out and remove excess frosting. This is your crumb coat, so don't fret if it isn't perfect. Pop the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the frosting is set. Then, use the remaining frosting to frost the cake. Chill the entire cake in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until the frosting is set before covering (with plastic wrap or a cake lid) or serving.Tip: If your frosting is getting too soft at any point from sitting out, pop it back in the fridge for a bit to firm back up.
Serve + Store: Serve the cake once it's chilled as directed above. Slice into as many slices as desired! Store leftovers, tightly covered, in the fridge for 2-4 days. The cake will naturally start to dry out a bit once it's been cut and put back in the fridge, so just be sure to seal and store it tightly. Press an extra piece of plastic wrap up against the cut part to help keep the cake as fresh as possible.