Funfetti Cake with Paint Splatter

This funfetti cake is a celebration all on its own. Fluffy vanilla cakes layered with whipped vanilla frosting, and a paint splatter finish that’s way easier to pull off than it looks.

Even though we all know that funfetti cakes are just vanilla cake layers with sprinkles, it’s still a fan favorite!

How to Make A Cake Fun

This is definitely one of my simpler cake recipes on the blog but don’t worry, I made up for that with a fun decoration.

1. Sprinkle Cake – I used my favorite 6 inch vanilla cake recipe as the base and just added sprinkles to it.
2. Vanilla Frosting – I went with a classic American buttercream because funfetti cakes are traditionally quite sweet.
3. Decoration – It’s just gel food coloring mixed with a tiny bit of alcohol, I used vanilla extract but I included a couple of other fun decorating ideas below as well!

Sprinkle Cake

1. Beat together the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes with the whisk attachment.
2. Add the oil and continue beating for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for at least 30-60 seconds between each addition, until each one is combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix just until they’re incorporated.
4. Add in half of the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and then the other half of the dry ingredients. Mix just until the last streak of flour is combined.
5. Fold in the sprinkles, mixing just until they’re evenly distributed.
6. Distribute the batter evenly between three round 6 inch cake pans, a little over 14 ounces of batter in each one.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake is golden brown, the edges released from the pan and/or the cake springs back when you press on it gently. Flip over onto a cooling rack or a tea towel and cool completely before frosting.

Pro Tip: lighter colored baking pans will reduce the amount of browning on the outside whilst darker pans will brown more.

What Kind of Sprinkles To Use

My top two recommendations for sprinkles to use in funfetti cakes are rainbow jimmies or rainbow sequins. Both of these are soft enough to melt into the batter when they’re baked but not too soft that they melt before the batter is baked. 

I don’t recommend using nonpareils, they can streak the batter, creating either a tie dye effect or even a mixed muddy color if they’re overmixed. 

In the photos, you can see I added some fancy sprinkles, which had a mix of different kinds. This worked for me because I added only a few of those and used mostly pastel rainbow sequins.  

Vanilla Frosting

I used this same frosting in my Vanilla Bean Marble Cake recipe and it is soooo good! It’s a classic American buttercream frosting but I added a little more heavy cream than most people do and I use a whisk attachment instead of a flat beater. 

The whisk attachment adds a lot more air, giving the frosting a whipped airy texture. I also use a combination of vanilla bean paste and artificial vanilla extract for the ultimate funfetti birthday cake flavor.  

The amount of frosting you get in the recipe is JUST enough to frost it how I did in the pictures. If you want to decorate the cake more, I recommend doing 1.5x or 2x the frosting recipe.

1. Beat the butter until it lightens in color and get’s fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar and salt beat for about 5 minutes until it’s completely smooth.
3. Add the vanilla and stream in the heavy whipping cream, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Pro Tip: Start with a whisk attachment on low speed to avoid the cloud of sugar, then switch to a paddle attachment if you want to beat the air out and make it extra smooth.

Decorating

There’s so many fun ways to decorate a funfetti cake but I wanted to do something a little more fun and unique while still being simple and not time consuming.

Sprinkles and paint splatters are super easy to do and customizable to whatever color theme you want. I went full rainbow with the colors here but monochrome moment with different shades would also be stunning!

After frosting the cake, top immediately with the sprinkles, while the buttercream is fresh so it sticks. If you wait until the buttercream dries, the sprinkles will roll off of the cake. 

For the paint splatter

1. In small bowls (each color gets it’s own bowl) combine 1-2 drops of gel food coloring with 1-2 drops (or ½ tsp) of vanilla extract.
2. Use a small paint brush to mix it together and then use your finger to pull the bristles back, releasing them towards the cake. Make sure to hold your hand a few inches away from the cake so you get a good splatter. The “paint” should splatter onto the cake – and on everything else nearby, so be careful! 

Tip: Use a small paintbrush with medium-stiffness bristles — long enough to flex and fling back when you splatter, but not so stiff that they barely move. A basic craft store brush works perfectly. I like the small and medium size one in this set, depending on how large I want the splatters.

Serving & Storing Cake

This cake is best served at room temperature within 1-2 days. It can sit on the counter for a couple of days but if it’s sliced, make sure to keep it covered.

I recommend freezing the leftovers in an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible and thaw at room temperature before eating.

If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them down below in the comment. If you make this cake, please leave me a 5-star rating or a review as well.

I also have gorgeous Funfetti Cupcakes and the BEST Birthday Cake Ice Cream, to complete your birthday celebration!

As always, happy baking and have a blessed day!

Love, B

Recipes

Layer Cakes

Funfetti Cake Recipe

4.79 from 41 votes

prep 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

cook 35 minutes mins

Additional Time 1 hour hr

total 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Serves 8 -10 slices

Three layer 6 inch vanilla cake recipe with sprinkles and a whipped vanilla buttercream frosting!

Author: Bernice Baran

Print Recipe Pin Recipe email recipe

Servings 8 -10 slices

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Equipment

• ▢
  Americolor Gel Food Coloring

Metric(US) Imperial

Ingredients

Vanilla Sprinkle Cake

• ▢ 270 grams all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
• ▢ 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 56 grams salted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 300 grams granulated sugar
• ▢ 120 mL vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 170 grams sour cream, room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp artificial vanilla extract*
• ▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract*
• ▢ 180 mL milk, room temperature
• ▢ 75 grams rainbow sprinkles

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• ▢ 227 grams unsalted butter, room temperature**
• ▢ 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 480 grams powdered sugar, spooned & leveled
• ▢ 45-60 mL heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• ▢ 1 tsp artificial vanilla extract

Decorating

• ▢ sprinkles
• ▢ gel food coloring
• ▢ vanilla extract

Method

Vanilla Sprinkle Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C and grease and line three 6 inch cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until they're evenly distributed.
   270 grams all-purpose flour spooned & leveled, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and the granulated sugar for 2 minutes. Add the oil and continue beating for a minute.
   56 grams salted butter room temperature, 300 grams granulated sugar, 120 mL vegetable oil
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until each egg is fully incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
   3 large eggs room temperature, 170 grams sour cream room temperature, 2 tsp artificial vanilla extract*, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract*
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, turn the mixer on low speed and then pour in the milk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Fold in the sprinkles, just until they're evenly dispersed.
   180 mL milk room temperature, 75 grams rainbow sprinkles
6. Distribute the batter evenly among the three cake pans, about 15oz in each pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. When the cake is fully baked it will release itself from the edge of the pan and it will spring back if you press on the center of it.
7. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1. Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat the butter on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, until the color turns to a pale yellow, scraping the edge of the bowl half way through.
   227 grams unsalted butter room temperature**
2. Add the salt and the powdered sugar to the butter and mix on low speed, just until combined. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for at least five minutes, until all of the sugar is fully dissolved and the buttercream no longer feels gritty. 
   1/8 tsp fine sea salt, 480 grams powdered sugar spooned & leveled
3. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream, vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes on medium-high speed. If the buttercream is too soft to frost, refrigerate it for just a few minutes.
   45-60 mL heavy whipping cream room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 1 tsp artificial vanilla extract

Assemble

1. To frost the cake, place the first layer of cake on a flat surface and use 1/4 of the buttercream to frost the first layer. Repeat with the second layer and then place the third layer of cake on top.
2. Smooth any buttercream that squished out on the edges of the cake and then refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes, or until the cake feels firm enough to frost (make sure it's not wobbly)
3. For the crumb coat, place 1/4 of the buttercream on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to smooth it out and spread it evenly throughout. It doesn't have to be perfect. Refrigerate the cake for at least another 15-30 minutes, or until the frosting feels set.
4. Place the rest of the buttercream on top of the cake, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting around and then use a turn table and a cake scraper to create a smooth finish on the cake.

Decorate

1. Use an offset spatula to create swirls on top of the cake and then top with sprinkles.
   sprinkles
2. For the paint splatters, place a drop of gel food coloring along with 1-2 drops of vanilla extract in a small bowl. Use a small paint brush to mix it and then use your finger to splash the bristles onto the cake. Repeat with desired colors.
   gel food coloring, vanilla extract

Notes

*I like to use a combination of pure vanilla and artificial vanilla so that it has an elevated but still classic birthday cake flavor. You can use both or just choose one, it'll still be delicious 🙂

**The room temperature butter should be a cool room temperature. Make sure your butter is not saggy or greasy at all.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 871kcalCarbohydrates: 104gProtein: 7gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 337mgFiber: 1gSugar: 79g

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: funfetti cake, six inch cake, vanilla sprinkle cake

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