This cake is joyful, pink, and covered in sprinkles—delicious inside and out.
My favourite butter cake serves as the base for this funfetti version. It bakes up soft, tender and perfectly vanilla-flavoured. The batter is studded with colourful sprinkles for a confetti look, then sandwiched and coated in a silky, tangy cream cheese frosting dyed pink for extra fun. The result is balanced, not overly sweet, and irresistibly good.
This cake is simple to make. The batter comes together in about ten minutes and the frosting is just a straightforward mix-and-beat. I don’t usually pipe elaborate decorations, but sprinkles call for a little extra prettifying.
I took a lot of photos because the colours were so much fun—hope you don’t mind a few more!
Each slice is tender with a great cake-to-frosting ratio. The buttery cake pairs perfectly with the light, tangy cream cheese frosting—together they create a dessert that’s not cloying, so you can enjoy another slice.
I plan to freeze some slices so there’s 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, room temperature (see notes)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sprinkles (see notes)
For the frosting
- 220 g cream cheese
- 100 g butter, 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 needed and set aside.
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Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
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Fold in the flour mixture and beat until smooth. If the batter is too thick to spread, thin it slightly with a splash of milk. Gently fold in the sprinkles to distribute them evenly. Spoon batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
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Bake for 20 minutes, then check the top. If it browns too quickly, cover with aluminium foil and continue baking 10–15 minutes more, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. If you have two 9″ pans, split the batter and bake two single layers; they will bake slightly faster.
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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 well combined. Adjust sugar to taste and add food colour a little at a time until you reach the desired shade. Chill the frosting about 15 minutes so it is easy to spread but not too firm. (Reserve a small portion uncoloured if you want white piping details.)
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Slice the cake horizontally into two even layers. If the top is domed, level it first.
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Spread half the frosting on the bottom layer, set the top layer in place and press gently. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Chill the cake for 10 minutes before piping any decorations, then finish with sprinkles.
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Slice and enjoy. Store the cake in the refrigerator, but bring slices to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving, as butter cakes can firm up when chilled.
Notes
*Adjust the icing sugar in the frosting to reach your preferred sweetness and texture—the more sugar, the thicker the frosting. You can also vary butter and cream cheese amounts for a creamier or tangier result.
*If using gel food colour, add it sparingly—gel is concentrated and the shade deepens over time.
*For an eggless option, see the original recipe author’s eggless butter cake adaptation.
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