How to Make Confetti Cake

 The confetti sprinkles both inside and outside the cake create a perfect balance of color and vanilla flavor that are sure to delight your senses.

Cake Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup whole milk

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1¼ teaspoons kosher salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ cup rainbow sprinkles or confetti quins

Buttercream frosting ingredients

2 cup unsalted butter softened slightly

6 cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract

3 tablespoons whipping cream

Extras

Enough rainbow sprinkles or confetti quins for decorating

Half a cup of milk

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 350°F and position the oven rack in the center. Lightly grease the sides of two 8-inch cake pans with unsalted butter, but do not grease the bottoms. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper rounds.

Next, whisk together the eggs and whole milk, both at room temperature, in a small bowl until they are well blended. Set the mixture aside for later use.

Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the ingredients on low speed for about a minute or until they are well combined.

Add the unsalted butter, which should also be at room temperature, to the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs, which should take about a minute.

Then, add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the mixture and beat until the batter is pale and fluffy, which should take about a minute as well.

Gradually add the reserved egg and milk mixture to the batter in four or five portions, making sure to beat the mixture thoroughly between each addition.

Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all ingredients are well combined: the batter should be smooth and creamy.

Once the batter is ready, gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles or confetti quins until they are evenly dispersed.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans, and use an offset spatula to smoothen the surface of each cake.

Bake the cakes until they are golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Once done, transfer the cake pans to a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes.

After the cakes have cooled slightly, run an offset spatula around the sides of the cakes to loosen them from the pan. Invert the cakes onto the wire rack and carefully peel away the parchment paper. Allow the cakes to cool completely, which should take at least an hour.

For the cake frosting

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. The butter should become lighter in color and look white when it's been whipped up.

Next, add the vanilla extract and salt on low speed until fully incorporated. While mixing slowly on the lowest setting, gradually add in 6 cups of powdered sugar.

Halfway through, add the whipping cream to make the mixing easier. Continue to mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is achieved.

For the cake assembly

Take one cake layer and place it on a cake stand or large plate with the right side facing up. If you have a cake turntable, it would be helpful to use it to make the process easier.

Spread a heaping cup of frosting on top of the layer and smooth it out evenly using an offset spatula. Then, put the second cake layer on top of the first one with the upside down side facing up.

Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, and use a spoon or offset spatula to create decorative swirls and divots in the frosting if desired.

Finally, add rainbow sprinkles or confetti quins to the top of the cake as much as you like.

Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting firm up slightly before serving.

Points to note

When choosing the sprinkles, go for ice cream parlor style rainbow sprinkles or flat, round confetti quins to get distinct dashes of color. Avoid tiny multicolored nonpareils as they will immediately dissolve into a streaky mess of color.

To make the silkiest frosting possible, be sure to bring the sour cream, eggs, and butter to room temperature before making the cake batter. 

If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar a quarter cup at a time. If the frosting is too thick, add additional cream one tablespoon at a time.

If the buttercream is not as white as desired, a tiny drop of purple gel food coloring or 1 tsp of titanium dioxide powder can be mixed in on low speed to brighten it up.

Cakes can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Cake can be assembled 12 hours ahead. Cover with a cake dome or an inverted bowl and store at cool room temperature.

Conclusion

To make this cake even more fun, it's perfect for any festive occasion. The colorful sprinkles and tender crumb make it a crowd-pleaser that will put a smile on everyone's face.

If there’s a simple cake you ever learn to make, let it be confetti cake.