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Perfectly sweet and nostalgic, funfetti sheet cake is the ultimate crowd pleaser dessert! The cake bakes up super soft and fluffy thanks to tangy buttermilk and rich sour cream. Filled with sprinkles and topped with swirls of brown butter frosting, each bite is tender and buttery. Recipe yields 15 servings.
Why you’ll love this funfetti sheet cake:
Made in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, the cake batter comes together quickly and is baked in a standard 9×13-inch pan (you can also make this recipe as round cake layers – see note in the recipe card).
Flavored with vanilla and almond extracts to replicate the classic funfetti flavor, this sprinkle-filled cake is made for birthday parties and celebrations!
Cake flour ensures a soft and tender crumb (the secret to the best homemade sheet cakes!), and the brown butter frosting tastes rich and buttery, the perfect complement to the sweet cake.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this funfetti birthday cake:
- Cake flour – For a soft and fluffy sheet cake with a fine crumb.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Both are necessary since the cake uses buttermilk.
- Salt – To enhance the flavor.
- Butter – Use room temperature unsalted butter in both the cake and frosting. Room temperature butter is slightly cool to the touch and your finger will make a shallow impression.
- Sugar – The cake is made with granulated sugar.
- Vanilla extract – I use and recommend a premium vanilla extract such as Rodelle for the best flavor.
- Almond extract – Pure almond extract gives the cake the classic funfetti birthday cake flavor. If you’re not a fan, omit the almond extract and increase the vanilla in the cake to 1 tablespoon.
- Eggs – Use 2 large eggs, at room temperature.
- Buttermilk – The acidity helps activate the baking soda, which makes the cake fluffy and light.
- Sour cream – Ensures a soft and tender crumb. You can also use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Sprinkles – Rainbow sprinkles are best for funfetti cake. Use a light hand as you fold the sprinkles into the batter, and avoid using nonpareils sprinkles as they bleed color into the batter.
- Powdered sugar – For smooth and creamy brown butter frosting.
How to Make Funfetti Sheet Cake
Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
Add rainbow sprinkles and gently fold into batter with a spatula.
Spoon cake batter into prepared 9×13-inch pan and smooth with a spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
Bake cake for 25 to 27 minutes, until the top and edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cake completely in pan on a wire rack.
Brown Butter Frosting
- Cook 1/4 cup (56 g) butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 5 minutes. Pour brown butter into a large mixer bowl and cool for 20 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 1/4 cups (280 g) butter to mixing bowl and beat on low speed until combined (mixture will be very soft). Mix in salt and vanilla and almond extracts until combined. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat frosting for 1 minute.
- Swirl frosting over cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles. Chill cake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.
Make Ahead Tips
The cake can be baked, cooled, and frosted one day in advance. Cover the frosted cake and chill overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
How to Make a Funfetti Layer Cake
This confetti cake recipe easily converts to make one 8-inch layer cake:
- Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and line each pan with a round of parchment paper. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
- Bake layers for 24 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cakes for 15 minutes in pans on a wire rack before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Make a double batch of brown butter frosting.
- Place one cake layer on a rotating cake stand and use an offset spatula to swirl frosting over the cake. Add the second cake layer and chill the stacked cake for 20 minutes.
- Apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake while you rotate the cake stand, then smooth the sides with a bench scraper.
- Transfer remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe frosting decoratively on the top cake layer.
More delicious sheet cake recipes:
- Dark Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
- Black Forest Sheet Cake
- Strawberry Lemon Sheet Cake
Did you try these Funfetti Sheet Cake Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
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Funfetti Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 13 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Perfectly sweet and nostalgic, funfetti sheet cake is the ultimate crowd pleaser dessert! The cake bakes up super soft and fluffy thanks to tangy buttermilk and rich sour cream. Filled with sprinkles and topped with swirls of brown butter frosting, each bite is tender and buttery.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups (288 g) cake flour
- 1 1/2 tsp (6 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) pure almond extract
- 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (120 g) rainbow sprinkles
Brown Butter Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups (336 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp almond extract
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9” baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Make sheet cake: Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine buttermilk and sour cream in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture). Fold in sprinkles.
- Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake cake for 25 to 27 minutes, until the top and edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cake completely in pan on a wire rack.
- Make frosting: Cook 1/4 cup (56 g) butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 5 minutes. Pour brown butter into a large mixer bowl and cool for 20 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 1/4 cups (280 g) butter to mixing bowl and beat on low speed until combined (mixture will be very soft). Mix in salt and vanilla and almond extracts until combined. Gradually mix in powdered sugar on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat frosting for 1 minute.
- Assemble cake: Dollop frosting over cooled cake and swirl with an offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles. Chill cake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
- Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cake flour substitute: For every 1 cup of cake flour, place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with all-purpose flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.
Extracts: This recipe uses a mix of pure vanilla and pure almond extracts to replicate the classic funfetti flavor. You can also omit the almond extract and just use vanilla extract – increase the vanilla to 1 tablespoon in the cake and 3/4 teaspoon in the frosting.
Brown butter: Check out my full step-by-step recipe tutorial.
Layer cake: Divide batter evenly between two 8-inch round cake pans. Bake layers for 24 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cakes for 15 minutes in pans on a wire rack before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely. Make a double batch of brown butter frosting and frost cake.
Cupcakes: Try my homemade funfetti cupcakes!
Frosting ideas: Buttercream Frosting | Whipped Strawberry Frosting | Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Make Ahead: The cake can be baked, cooled, and frosted one day in advance. Cover the frosted cake and chill overnight.
I followed the guidance to bake this cake as a layer cake and it worked perfectly! The cake is so soft and fluffy, and the brown butter frosting is a nice complement to the cake.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Candace!
The perfect cake for a high school graduation party – everyone loved it!!
That’s so nice to hear, thank you Molly!
Made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and it turned out perfectly! Love all the sprinkles and the frosting is so good – highly recommend!
Thanks so much, Sara! Hope your daughter had a wonderful birthday! 🙂