One of the best things about this funfetti cake is that it doesn’t require expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. Everything used in the recipe is easy to find at most grocery stores, making it a great option when you’re baking on a budget.
This is something we cannot say about lemon poppy seed cake, or chocolate cake.
If you don’t have buttermilk, there’s no need to buy a whole carton just for one recipe. You can easily make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk and letting it sit for about 5–10 minutes. If you have amasi (maas) at home, that works just as well.
The cake batter also doesn’t require an electric mixer. A whisk and a mixing bowl are all you need to make a soft, fluffy sponge, which means less equipment and less cleanup. The only time you’ll need a hand mixer or stand mixer is if you’re making the American buttercream frosting.
You also don’t have to add a filling between the cake layers. While berry filling adds extra flavour, the cake is still delicious with just the buttercream frosting. If you’re trying to save money or simply don’t have filling on hand, you can leave it out and still end up with a cake that’s soft, colourful, and enjoyable.
Budget-friendly ingredients you need
- Cake flour – There is no cake without flour, so this is the foundation of the cake. It gives the sponge its structure so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Baking powder, and baking soda – These are little helpers that makes your cake rise nice and tall.
- Salt – Just a small amount, but it balances the sweetness and brings out all the flavours.
- Sugar – Sweetens the cake while also helping create a soft, tender crumb.
- Canola oil – Keeps the cake moist for days, even straight from the fridge.
- Butter – Help with sustaining the flavour of a cake.
- Eggs – Hold everything together and help create a light, fluffy texture. Add them 1-by-1.
- Vanilla extract – Makes sure that your cake and butter doesn’t smell all the ingredients such as eggs. Eggs can standout from other ingredients with smell, and their smell is not pleasant in baked good.
- Buttermilk (or homemade buttermilk/amasi) – Adds moisture and keeps the cake soft and tender.
- Rainbow sprinkles – The star of the show! You do not need a lot of them, They can be found in local stores in bakery section. They give the cake its colourful funfetti look.
For smooth American Buttercream
- Unsalted butter – Creates a rich, creamy frosting that’s easy to spread and pipe.
- Icing sugar – Sweetens the buttercream and gives it a smooth, fluffy texture.
- Vanilla extract – Adds extra flavour to the frosting.
- Milk or cream – Helps adjust the consistency so the buttercream is perfectly spreadable.
For berries filling I used the same one I used for our lamington cake
How to make funfetti cake step-by-step
Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by lightly greasing them and lining the bottoms with baking paper. I always recommend using baking paper because it prevents the cakes from sticking, making them much easier to remove once baked.
Simply trace the base of your cake pan onto the baking paper and cut out circles to fit perfectly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients listed in the recipe. Mixing them first helps distribute the baking powder evenly, giving your cake a more consistent rise. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until well combined and slightly lighter in colour. During winter, butter can be difficult to soften. If yours is still firm, microwave it for 10–15 seconds—just enough to soften it without melting it completely.
Pour in the vegetable oil and whisk until fully combined. I prefer using canola oil, but any good-quality neutral oil will work. Avoid oils with a strong smell or flavour, as they can affect the taste of your cake.
Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition before adding the next. This helps create a smooth batter and ensures everything is properly incorporated.
Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla extract, then whisk until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a whisk, gently mix until the flour is just incorporated. Don’t overmix—the moment you no longer see streaks of flour, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft and fluffy.
Finally, add the rainbow sprinkles and gently whisk or fold them through the batter until evenly distributed. Be careful not to overmix at this stage to keep the colours from bleeding too much into the batter.
Your funfetti cake batter is now ready to divide between the prepared cake pans and bake!
5 things that could ruin your funfetti cake
- Using cold ingredients – For the best results, use room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Cold ingredients don’t mix together as smoothly, which can leave your batter looking curdled and affect the final texture of the cake.
- Choosing wrong sprinkles – Not all sprinkles are made for baking. Jimmies (the long, soft sprinkles) are the best choice because they hold their colour during baking. Avoid nonpareils (the tiny round balls), as they tend to bleed into the batter, leaving streaks of colour instead of colourful speckles.
- Using strong-flavoured oil – Choose a neutral oil such as canola or sunflower oil. Oils with a strong smell or flavour can overpower the vanilla flavour and affect the overall taste of your cake.
- Opening oven too early – It can be tempting to check on your cake, but opening the oven door during the first 20–25 minutes can cause the temperature to drop, which may prevent the cake from rising properly or cause it to sink in the centre.
- Filling the pan unevenly – If one pan has much more batter than the other, the cakes won’t bake evenly. Divide the batter as evenly as possible so both layers bake at the same rate and are easier to stack. I normally, use measuring cups to scoop same amount or use food scale.
Frosting Ideas for funfetti cake
For this recipe, I’m using American buttercream, and it’s my favourite choice for funfetti cake. It’s rich, creamy, easy to make, and pairs perfectly with the soft vanilla cake. It also pipes beautifully if you want to decorate your cake with swirls, borders, or rosettes.
One of the reasons I love American buttercream is that pipes easily and it’s beginner-friendly and comes together in just a few minutes with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
If you’d like to change things up, here are a few other frostings that also work well with funfetti cake:
- Cream cheese frosting – Adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the cake.
- Swiss meringue buttercream – Less sweet than American buttercream, with a silky, smooth texture.
- Whipped chocolate ganache – A great option if you’re looking for a light chocolate flavour without making the cake overly rich.
- Whipped cream frosting – Light and airy, making it a good choice for a less sweet dessert. Keep in mind that it needs to be refrigerated.
No matter which frosting you choose, make sure your cake layers have cooled completely before decorating.
I’d Love to Hear How Your Funfetti Cake Turned Out!
Did you give this funfetti cake a try? I’d love to know how it went!
Did you stick to the recipe, or did you make a few substitutions? Maybe you used amasi instead of buttermilk, tried a different frosting, or added your favourite filling. Whatever you did, I’d love to hear about it.
Leave a comment below and let me know:
- How did your cake turn out?
- Did you make any substitutions?
- What frosting or filling did you use?
- Did your family and friends enjoy it?
Your feedback not only makes my day, but it also helps other readers who may be thinking about trying this recipe. Happy baking, and I can’t wait to hear how your funfetti cake turned out!
Easy Budget-Friendly Funfetti Cake with American Buttercream
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 170°C. Grease and line the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with baking paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Add the canola oil and whisk until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the buttermilk (or amasi) and vanilla extract, then whisk until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the rainbow sprinkles until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before wrapping it with a cling wrap to lock up moisture.
- Beat the softened butter until light, creamy, and pale for 10 minutes.
- Gradually add the icing sugar, mixing well after each addition (2 min in between)
- Add the vanilla essence and salt.
- Pour in the milk or cream a little at a time until the buttercream reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Beat for another 10 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake board.
- Spread an even layer of American buttercream over the top. Add your favourite berry filling if using.
- Place the second cake layer on top until the 3rd layer.
- Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream and decorate with extra sprinkles if desired.
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