Funfetti Layer Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting
Moist, fluffy vanilla confetti cake filled and topped with a sweet and creamy vanilla frosting and sprinkles.
For the Cake:
- 1 cup 240 ml whole milk, at room temperature
- 4 large egg whites (120 g, at room temperature)
- 1 whole egg (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons 10 ml pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon 1.25 ml almond extract
- 2-3/4 cups 315 g cake flour, sifted
- 1-1/2 cups 300 g sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (19.5 g baking powder)
- 3/4 teaspoon 5 g salt
- 12 tablespoons 170 g unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup Rainbow Crunchy Sprinkles (or a few generous handfuls)
For the Frosting:
- 3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (375 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes)
- 3.5 cups 400 g confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons 45 ml milk
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml pure vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- Rainbow Crunchy, Pastel Sequins (or other any other sprinkles for decorating)
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease, line with parchment, butter and flour two round 8-inch pans.
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, vanilla and the almond extract. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients, including the sugar, together on low speed (I use the “stir” setting on my mixer) for 30 seconds.
- Add the butter and blend on low speed for about 30 seconds, then add remaining 3/4 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1-1/2 minutes.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg/milk mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium for 20 seconds after each addition. Gently stir in the rainbow jimmies, until just combined.
- Divide the batter in two, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh the batter in the pans to ensure 2 even layers.
- Bake 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not over-bake. Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals.
- Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy and fluffy.
- Best used right away (for ideal spreading consistency).
Assembly of the Funfetti Cake
- Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of a cake plate or 8-inch round thin cake board, and place the bottom cake layer on top.
- Place 1 cup of frosting on top of the cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset palette knife. Sprinkle a handful of sprinkles (jimmies, quins--anything!) on top of the frosting (optional).
- Gently place 2nd cake layer face-down on top. Place a generous scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from refrigerator and cover cake with a final layer of frosting. Sprinkle until your heart's content!
Wrap baked cake layers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Best eaten the same day as baked.
Sweetapolita's Notes:
- If you do not have access to cake flour, you can quickly and easily make your own to substitute.
- This unconventional method of blending the butter with the sugar and dry ingredients first is called the "reverse creaming method," and was pioneered by cake guru, Rose Levy Beranbaum.
- As with any vanilla cake, you can use 100% liquid egg whites in the cake layers (simply weigh them on your kitchen scale), which saves wasting the yolks.
- For the funfetti sprinkles inside the cake, you can experiment, but I recommend the Rainbow Crunchy Sprinkles or the Pastel Sequins that you see on top of my cake.
- For a 4-layer Funfetti Cake, you could simply slice each of your two cake layers in 2, or for a 3-layer cake, simply divide the batter among 3 round 8" cake pans (the layers will be shorter, but you will have 3!).
- The cake base for this Funfetti version is a slightly adapted version of the Fluffy Vanilla Cake, so for the ultimate vanilla cake, you can simply omit the sprinkles in the cake layers.
- This batter makes fabulous cupcakes.
- The frosting tastes like vanilla ice cream--you'll see! You can also fold in Rainbow Bit Chips into the frosting which will create a delicious Funfetti style frosting!
- You may enjoy reading my previous post, 50 Tips for Baking Better Cakes.
