Spring Funfetti Cake Pastel (Print Version)

Light vanilla cake with vibrant sprinkles and smooth pastel buttercream frosting, perfect for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
11 - 2/3 cup rainbow sprinkles

→ Pastel Buttercream

12 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup whole milk
15 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Pastel pink food coloring gel
18 - Pastel blue food coloring gel
19 - Pastel yellow food coloring gel
20 - Pastel purple food coloring gel

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk and sour cream until combined.
06 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold rainbow sprinkles into batter using a rubber spatula.
08 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat butter until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
12 - Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
13 - Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
14 - Divide buttercream into 4 bowls. Tint each portion with pastel pink, blue, yellow, or purple food coloring gel.
15 - Dollop or pipe colored buttercream onto cooled cake layers. Swirl colors together for a marbled pastel effect.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like happiness tastes, if that makes sense—light, familiar, and impossibly cheerful without being cloying.
  • The pastel buttercream means you can make it as whimsical or elegant as the occasion demands.
  • Prep and bake time is under an hour, so you can actually pull this off on a busy day.
02 -
  • Bringing all ingredients to room temperature isn't fussy—it's the difference between a silky cake and a grainy one.
  • Don't use jimmies nonpareils (the tiny round sprinkles)—they're delicate and will bleed color into your batter, leaving gray-brown streaks instead of vibrant flecks.
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula or bench scraper to smooth the buttercream after piping—it creates a professional-looking finish without much effort.
  • If you're making cupcakes instead, reduce baking time to 22–24 minutes and you'll get perfectly moist individual cakes that are easier to transport and serve.
Go Back