How to Make a Funfetti Sheet Cake
Have you ever attended a celebration or party where the cake was just average? You know, the kind of cake that lacks the wow factor that a special cake should have. Well, I have the perfect solution for you: a homemade Funfetti Sheet Cake! This post may contain affiliate links.
This funfetti cake recipe is not only visually stunning, but it tastes amazing too! It's the perfect cake for any celebration from birthdays to graduations and even weddings. Trust me; everyone will be talking about how delicious it is!
WHY MAKE A FUNFETTI CAKE?
So, why would you want to make a homemade funfetti sheet cake instead of a standard birthday cake recipe? Well, first of all, who doesn't love a colorful confetti cake? It's the perfect combination of sweet and playful, and the colorful sprinkles make it an instant crowd-pleaser.
Plus, there's something a little special about making a cake from scratch if you have the time. It's a fun and rewarding experience that allows you to customize the flavor and ingredients to your liking.
Overall, making a homemade funfetti sheet cake is a great way to add some joy and creativity to any occasion, while also indulging in a delicious dessert.
FUNFETTI SHEET CAKE INGREDIENTS
To start with, you'll need to gather your ingredients. Don't worry; you don't need anything too fancy or difficult to find. Just a few staples you probably already have in your pantry, like all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and of course, sprinkles.
Speaking of sprinkles, you'll want to make sure you use the right kind. The long oval style of sprinkles (also called jimmies) is best for this recipe. The small ball style (also called nonpareils) tends to bleed color into the batter.
Here are the ingredients needed. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
CAKE:
- All-purpose flour*
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Whole Milk
- Sprinkles (Jimmies)**
FROSTING:
- Unsalted Butter
- Heavy Cream (35%)
- Vanilla Extract
- Confectioners’ Sugar
HOMEMADE FUNFETTI CAKE INSTRUCTIONS
Once you have your ingredients, it's time to start baking. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line an 18" x 13" sheet cake pan with parchment paper. Then whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until they are fluffy and lighter in color. This should take about two minutes. Next, add the eggs and vanilla into the mixture and beat until it's fluffy and well combined (about one minute).
On low speed, beat half of the dry mixture into the butter mixture just until blended together. Then beat the milk into the cake batter until combined.
Finally, beat the remaining dry ingredients into the cake batter just until combined. Make sure to use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Don't overmix the batter, or the cake won't rise properly and will have a gummy-type texture when baked.
Gently stir (not beat) the sprinkles into the cake batter.
Pour the batter onto the prepared sheet cake pan and use a spatula to evenly distribute the cake batter in the pan. Bake the cake for 29 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, you can prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the slightly melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla until they're smooth.
Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar until it's fully mixed in, then beat on high until the frosting is light and fluffy (about five minutes). If the frosting seems too thick, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream.
Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting. If you try to frost a warm cake, the frosting will likely melt, and trying to smooth it over the cake could break the cake into crumbles.
When the cake is cool, smooth an even layer of frosting over the top of the cake and decorate as desired.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE FUNFETTI CAKE
Once you've baked a delicious homemade funfetti cake, the next question is how to store it properly. First things first, if you plan on consuming the cake within the next three days, then you can leave it out at room temperature (wrapped well in food-safe plastic wrap) without any issues. However, if you've got leftover cake or want to make it in advance, then you'll need to store it in the fridge or freezer.
To store the cake in the fridge, wrap it tightly in food-safe plastic wrap and place it in a sealed food-safe container. When properly stored, your funfetti cake can last up to five days in the fridge.
If you're looking for a longer-term storage solution, then freezing the cake is the way to go. Wrap it tightly in food-safe plastic wrap, then seal it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Stored in the freezer, the cake can remain fresh for up to three months.
When you're ready to enjoy your frozen cake, take it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. Once it's thawed, let it come to room temperature before serving, so it's not too cold and hard to eat.
FUNFETTI SHEET CAKE BAKING FAQS
My cake crumbles and breaks apart when I try to frost it. What happened?
If the frosting is too thick, it will be hard to smooth the frosting evenly over the cake. To fix the thick frosting, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream. Also, the cake should be fully cooled before frosting. If you try to frost a warm cake, the frosting will likely melt, and trying to smooth it over the cake could break the cake into crumbles.
Why do some ingredients need to be at room temperature for this recipe?
Bringing refrigerated items to room temperature before mixing helps all the ingredients to blend together properly.
How do I transfer the cake to a cake board without breaking the cake?
It's crucial to let the cake cool down entirely before attempting to remove it from the pan. Once it has cooled, place a wire rack on top of the cake and cover it with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Make sure the parchment paper is placed on top of the cake and the wire rack is facing your hands, then flip the cake pan upside down so that the cake is now upside down on the parchment-lined wire rack.
Carefully remove the cake pan from the cake and place the cake board on the bottom of the cake. Then, flip the cake back over again so that it's now right side up on the cake board. This will ensure that the cake is now ready to be frosted and presented in its proper position.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your cake remains intact and presentable when removing it from the cake pan. So, take your time, and don't rush the process to avoid damaging the cake.
What type of food coloring did you use to get this teal-colored frosting?
For this bright teal frosting, I used Chefmaster Liqua-gel in Teal Green.
If you love making birthdays special, you might like these birthday countdown ideas, too!
Homemade Funfetti Sheet Cake
Make a homemade funfetti sheet cake for your next birthday or celebration.
Ingredients
- CAKE INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ½ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour*
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened (if cold from fridge, about 30 seconds in the microwave)
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup sprinkles**
- FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, slightly melted (if cold from fridge, about 45 seconds in the microwave)
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream (35%)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups (600 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line one 18” x 13” sheet cake pan with parchment paper (leave parchment paper slighter higher than the sides of the pan so it’s easier to lift the cake out after). Lightly spray parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray then set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat (on high speed) butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy and lighter in color (about two minutes). Use spatula to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture and beat on high until mixture is fluffy and well combined (about 1 minute).
- On low speed, beat half of the dry mixture into the butter mixture just until blended together (do not overmix – having lumps still in the batter here is fine).
- On low speed, beat milk into the cake batter until combined (about 30 seconds).
- On low speed, beat the remaining dry ingredients into the cake batter just until combined (using a spatula to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl). This will only take about 30 seconds. What you’re looking for here is that you no longer see streaks of white flour in the mixture and there are no large lumps in the batter. Be careful not to overmix this or the cake will not rise properly and it will have a gummy-type texture when baked.
- Gently stir (not beat) the sprinkles into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared sheet cake pan and use a spatula to evenly distribute the cake batter in the pan.
- Bake in oven for 29 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting Directions: In a large bowl, beat the butter, heavy cream and vanilla until smooth (about 1 minute). Beat in the confectioners’ sugar slowly until fully mixed in then beat on high until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). If the frosting seems too thick, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream.
- Smooth an even layer of frosting over the top of the cake and decorate as desired.
- The cake can remain at room temperature (wrapped well in food-safe plastic wrap) for up to 3 days. After 3 days, refrigerate or freeze the leftovers (wrapped tightly in food-safe plastic wrap then placed into a sealed food safe container). Bring the cake back to room temperature before serving.
Notes
*Accurate measurement of flour is crucial when making a cake since too much or too little flour can significantly affect its outcome. To ensure precise measurements, two methods can be used. First, a food scale can be used to measure the flour in grams precisely. The second method is the spoon and scoop technique, which involves placing the measuring cup on a flat surface and using a spoon to scoop flour directly from the bag and lightly sprinkle it into the cup. It is essential to avoid scooping directly from the bag into the measuring cup as it often leads to compacting of the flour resulting in excess quantities, up to 25% more than needed. Therefore, measuring the flour accurately is crucial to the success of the cake.
**When adding sprinkles to the batter, it is recommended to use the long oval style of sprinkles, also known as the "Jimmy" style, rather than the small ball style known as nonpareils. This is because nonpareils have a tendency to bleed color into the batter, which can negatively affect the appearance of the finished product. Therefore, opting for the jimmy style sprinkles is a better choice to ensure that the sprinkles maintain their color and appearance without affecting the batter's consistency.
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Making a homemade funfetti sheet cake is an excellent way to enjoy a classic dessert with a festive twist. With the right ingredients, equipment, and technique, you can create a delicious and visually appealing cake that is sure to please everyone's taste buds.
Enjoyed making and sharing this funfetti sheet cake recipe? Save it for later and share it with your friends and family! Spread the joy of baking and create sweet memories with those closest to you. Happy baking!
