Classic buttery vanilla cake dotted with a rainbow of colorful sprinkles and made completely from scratch, this tiered funfetti cake is the epitome of the perfect celebration cake!

Overhead photo of Funfetti Cake with a slice being removed

Why this recipe works

Nothing screams celebrations and birthdays the way funfetti cake does. An explosion of colorful sprinkles meets a three-tiered vanilla cake with a soft, dense crumb. Every bite leaves you with a rainbow of sugary sprinkles and fluffy buttercream frosting.

If you really want to take the funfetti madness over the top, pair this cake with our easy no-churn birthday cake ice cream or birthday cake rolled ice cream.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SPRINKLES – The sprinkles you use in funfetti cake batter matter. You’ll want to stick to rainbow Jimmies. Jimmies will not lose their color or bleed into your cake batter once mixed and are the most popular choice for funfetti cake. Confetti sprinkles are another good option, they are the small disc-shaped sprinkles you’ve likely seen in cakes and cupcakes before. I do not recommend using nonpareils, as they bleed and will tint the color of your cake batter.

CAKE – This funfetti cake has a soft, dense crumb. The almond and vanilla extracts give it a great boost of classic funfetti flavor. If desired, you can stick to either just vanilla or just almond, but we enjoy the mixture of the two.

FROSTING – This recipe will yield enough frosting for a thick filling and plenty to frost and decorate the cake. You can halve the frosting recipe for a simpler cake. The butter and vanilla extracts in the frosting will give it a cream color. For a truer white, you can use clear vanilla extract. You can also substitute some or all of the butter with white shortening, but you will compromise on flavor.

How to Make Funfetti Cake

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray three 7” round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy with a hand mixer. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and vegetable oil and beat well.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and begin to beat. Add half of the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the milk. Beat just until fully combined.
Fold in 1⁄2 cup of rainbow Jimmies.
Divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
Cool cakes on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes, then turn out from the pans and cool the rest of the way.
To make the frosting in a standing mixer, beat the butter on high speed until lightened and fluffy. Add powdered sugar gradually.
Beat in the extracts. With the mixer running, pour in the heavy cream until the frosting is light and fluffy and desired spreading consistency.
If you’d like to fill the cake layers with funfetti frosting, set aside about 1 cup of frosting. Mix in 2 tablespoons of sprinkles.
Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or platter. Add about 1⁄2 cup of frosting to the top and spread to the edges. Stack the second layer on top and add a layer of frosting on top of this one also. Top with the third cake layer.
Frost the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as desired. We piped a few swirls on the top of the cake and added sprinkles to the tops and around the bottom perimeter.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Can I use a different sized pan?

Yes, though we have not tested the bake times for different sized pans. Using this recipe, you can bake a 2-layer cake in 8- or 9-inch cake pans. Use the toothpick method to check for doneness. This batter can also be used to make cupcakes, but again, we have not tested the bake time for this and unfortunately can not give you a proper amount of how many cupcakes it will yield. Please let us know in the comments below if you end up trying this!

How do I store homemade funfetti cake?

Store your funfetti cake, covered with an airtight lid (in something like a cake carrier) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can store this cake without a covering, but once you cut into it, it should be covered with at least plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Can I freeze this cake?

Yes, you can freeze the individual layers of unfrosted cake once fully cooled. To do so, wrap the layers individually in Press N Seal or in a couple of layers of plastic wrap. Follow that up with a layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped layers in either a large ziptop bag or an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight with the wrapping still on. It’s truly best to wait until you are ready to serve to frost the cake (or the night before) so you don’t end up cracking or smooshing the frosting you so carefully decorated on top. You may freeze leftover frosted slices of cake following the same method above, so long as you are okay with potentially messing up the frosting a bit!

Serving Suggestions

There are so many different and fun ways to decorate a cake. We frosted the outside of the cake and then piped a few swirls on top. Get creative with it and pipe/decorate the way you want!

Feel free to add a small amount of gel food coloring to change the color of the frosting and add a little extra pizazz. If you love funfetti, be sure to check out our instant pot funfetti cheesecake and funfetti icebox cake as well!

More Cake Recipes

I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!