Spring Funfetti Cake Pastel (Print)

A light vanilla cake with colorful sprinkles and pastel buttercream, ideal for joyful spring gatherings.

# Components:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
11 - 2/3 cup rainbow sprinkles

→ Pastel Buttercream

12 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup whole milk
15 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Food coloring gels in pastel pink, blue, yellow, and purple

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk and sour cream until combined.
06 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold rainbow sprinkles into batter using a spatula.
08 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat butter until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
12 - Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
13 - Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
14 - Divide buttercream into 4 bowls. Tint each portion with a different pastel food coloring gel.
15 - Dollop or pipe colored buttercream onto cooled cake layers. Swirl colors together for marbled pastel effect.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sprinkles stay vibrant and don't bleed into the batter when you use quality jimmies, which I learned after a few disappointing gray-speckled attempts.
  • This cake is forgiving enough for a Wednesday night but fancy enough to serve at a bridal shower without anyone knowing how simple it really is.
  • The sour cream in the batter keeps everything incredibly moist, and the tender crumb holds up beautifully whether you're stacking layers or piling on buttercream.
02 -
  • Always bring your eggs, butter, and milk mixture to room temperature before you start, because cold ingredients won't emulsify properly and you'll end up with a separated-looking batter that bakes into a dense cake.
  • If you're buying sprinkles from the bulk bin, check the ingredients for food coloring type, because some brands use liquid coloring that will absolutely bleed and turn your beautiful batter a muddy gray.
03 -
  • Chill your unfrosted cake layers for at least an hour before frosting, because they'll be firmer and less likely to shift or crumble when you're stacking and decorating.
  • Make the frosting the day before and store it in an airtight container in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature and re-whip it for a few minutes before using, which actually improves the texture.
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