This cake is pink, covered in sprinkles, and just as delightful on the inside as it looks on the outside.
My favourite butter cake recipe has been the base for many variations and it performed beautifully here as well. The cake is soft, tender, and perfectly vanilla-flavored. Sprinkles folded into the batter give it a playful confetti (funfetti) appearance. It’s filled and frosted with a silky, tangy cream cheese frosting that I tinted pink for fun. The result is balanced, not overly sweet, and absolutely delicious.
This cake is simple and quick to make. The batter comes together in about 10 minutes and the frosting is just beat-and-mix. I don’t usually pipe elaborate decorations, but a sprinkle-covered cake deserves a little extra attention.
I took a lot of photos because the colours were so cheerful — hope you don’t mind.
Each slice is tender, and the cake-to-frosting ratio feels just right. Because it isn’t excessively sweet or heavy, you can enjoy another slice without guilt. The buttery cake and the light tang of the cream cheese frosting are a perfect pair.
I plan to freeze some slices so we’ll still have cake to look forward to later — always a good idea.
Please read the recipe notes before beginning.
Funfetti Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 2/3 cup caster sugar (125 g)
- 200 g butter, at room temperature
- 4 eggs at room temperature (see notes)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sprinkles (see notes)
For the frosting
- 220 g cream cheese
- 100 g butter at room temperature
- 1 cup icing sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- food colour, if desired (see notes)
- sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease a 9″ round cake tin and set aside.
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Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add salt if using, then set aside.
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Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat until combined.
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Fold in the flour mixture and beat until smooth. The batter will be fairly thick; if it’s too stiff to spread, loosen with a splash of milk. Gently fold in the sprinkles so they are evenly distributed. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
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Bake for 20 minutes, then check the top. If it’s browning too quickly, cover with foil and continue baking for 10–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate the tin halfway through baking for even browning. If you have two 9″ pans and space in your oven, split the batter and bake two thinner layers; they will need about 5 minutes less baking time.
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Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature.
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For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Adjust sugar to taste for desired sweetness and consistency. Add food colour a little at a time if using; gel colours are concentrated. I set aside about 1/4 of the frosting undecorated for small white accents and coloured the remainder pink. Chill the frosting for about 15 minutes so it’s easy to spread but not too firm.
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Slice the cooled cake horizontally into two even layers. If the top domed while baking, level it first.
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Spread about half the frosting on the bottom layer, then place the top layer on it and press gently. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. If you plan to pipe decorations, chill the cake for 10 minutes before piping. Finish with sprinkles to decorate.
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Slice and enjoy. Store the cake in the fridge, but bring it to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving so butter-based cakes soften. Happy baking!
Notes
*Adjust the icing sugar in the frosting to reach your preferred sweetness and firmness. Increasing sugar makes the frosting thicker. You can also tweak the butter and cream cheese ratio for a creamier or tangier result.
*If using gel food colour, add it sparingly — a little goes a long way and colours may deepen over time.
*For an eggless version, follow an eggless butter cake recipe.
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