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The Best Confetti Birthday Cake Recipe with Easy Vanilla Buttercream

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This confetti birthday cake is incredibly moist, tender, and studded with rainbow sprinkles, topped with a silky vanilla buttercream. It’s the perfect celebration cake that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup (60g) rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)
  • 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (for buttercream)
  • Extra rainbow sprinkles for decoration (about ¼ cup)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease parchment as well.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt for about 20 seconds.
  3. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat 1 cup softened butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  4. With mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add half of the buttermilk, mix. Repeat with another third of flour, remaining buttermilk, then final third of flour. Scrape bowl between additions.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. With mixer on low, slowly pour into batter and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape bowl and mix briefly.
  6. Gently fold in ⅓ cup rainbow jimmies with a rubber spatula using about 10-12 strokes until evenly distributed.
  7. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake for 28-32 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges, invert onto cooling rack, peel off parchment, and cool completely (about 1-2 hours).
  9. For buttercream: In stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat 1 ½ cups softened butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low. Add heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
  10. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread about 1 cup buttercream evenly on top. Place second layer on top. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting all over. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  11. Apply final layer of frosting. Press extra sprinkles into sides if desired. Pipe rosettes on top if desired.

Notes

Use jimmies (long skinny sprinkles) instead of nonpareils to prevent color bleeding. Room temperature ingredients are essential for best texture. Chill cake before final frosting for smooth finish. Warm offset spatula under hot water for perfectly smooth frosting.

Nutrition

Keywords: confetti birthday cake, vanilla buttercream, rainbow sprinkles, birthday cake, celebration cake, moist cake

Find it online: https://clunkcook.com/the-best-confetti-birthday-cake-recipe-with-easy-vanilla-buttercream/