Funfetti Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
• 3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
• 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
• 1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature (240g)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360g)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil (30g)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract - optional (6g)
• 2/3 cup rainbow jimmies or long strand sprinkles (115g)
• gel food coloring (if desired)
• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (454g or 1 lb.)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
• 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
• 7 cups powdered sugar (904g or a 2 lb. bag)
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60g)
• 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies or long strand sprinkles - to be mixed in once the cake is filled and crumb coated (85g)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Funfetti Cake Layers: ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease then line four 7-inch or three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and parchment paper rounds. Set aside. You can also use this recipe to make 4, 6-inch cake layers but the bake time will be a few minutes longer. If you don't have enough cake pans, the batter can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Bake as many layers as you can at a time.

3. 3

   Mix 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.

4. 4

   Mix in 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.

5. 5

   Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk in two installments on a low speed.

6. 6

   Add in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, 2 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 tsp almond extract and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. If you want to color these cake layers, add the gel food coloring during this step.

7. 7

   Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.

8. 8

   Fold 2/3 cup of sprinkles into the cake batter using a rubber spatula and mix until they're evenly distributed.

9. 9

   Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a scale to weigh each pan and make sure they have the same amount of batter. This ensures that the layers bake evenly and end up being the same height.

10. 10

    Bake for 34-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.

11. 11

    Place the cake pans into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers from the pans.

12. 12

    These layers bake up pretty flat, so leveling them is optional! If you want to level them, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. I also like to trim the sides of the cake layers to remove any sprinkles that have caramelized and make them easier to frost. If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

13. 13

    --- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: ---

14. 14

    While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting. Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.

15. 15

    Mix in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.

16. 16

    Slowly add in 7 cups of powdered sugar while mixing slowly on the lowest setting. Halfway through add 1/4 cup of heavy cream or milk to make it easier to mix. I like to place a kitchen towel over my mixer to contain any powdered sugar clouds.

17. 17

    Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).

18. 18

    Wait to add in the sprinkles until you've filled and crumb-coated the cake. Cover the buttercream flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, then set aside.

19. 19

    --- Assembling This Funfetti Cake: ---

20. 20

    Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

21. 21

    Spread an even layer of buttercream on top of each cake layer with a large offset spatula. If desired, add a couple of spoonfuls of sprinkles on top of the frosting. Repeat with the remaining cake layers.

22. 22

    Flip the top cake layer upside-down to make it easier to frost.

23. 23

    Once all the layers are stacked, gently press down on top of the cake with both of your hands to help them settle and to press out any trapped air between the cake layers.

24. 24

    Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

25. 25

    While the cake chills, fold ½ cup of rainbow sprinkles to the remaining buttercream.

26. 26

    Use the sprinkle buttercream to add a second layer of frosting to the cake with the remaining buttercream. Smooth using a large offset spatula and bench scraper.

27. 27

    Then decorate as desired and enjoy! I added some pink white chocolate ganache drips around the cake and used the remaining buttercream to pipe some buttercream dollops in a ring around the top of the cake.

28. 28

    If you want to pipe a border around this cake, be mindful of the sprinkles in the buttercream. They can get stuck in the groves of frosting tips. I recommend using a large, round piping tip if you use one.