I have to admit a certain weakness for funfetti. I don’t know if its because I enjoy handling the rainbow sprinkles when I’m baking the cake or if I just really love all the bright childhood colors… Either way it’s a favorite and I think a birthday cake is the PERFECT opportunity to make this cake.
If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
Yes there are sprinkles in the buttercream and yes I am 100% into this.
A Few Tips and Pointers
- If you’re not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans.
- If you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
- You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
- If American buttercream is a bit sweet for you try whipping up a batch of Italian meringue buttercream. It’s silky smooth and very creamy, not at all cloying!
- To pipe the two-tone frosting you fill one bag (1/2 way full) with white frosting, one bag with pink frosting and then put both bags in a third piping bag. No need for a tip, just snip about an inch off each bag.
How to Make a Pink Birthday Cake
1. Sift dry ingredients and whisk to distribute
2. Whisk together wet ingredients. I prefer to warm them slightly so there are no clumps, but room temperature works just fine.
3. Add wet to dry, mix and fold in sprinkles. Pour batter into your three six inch pans, which you’ve buttered and floured. I always use cake strips for flat layers with a fluffy edge but they’re optional.
4. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cream. Mix. Divide into two equal batches and add soft pink food coloring to one.
5. Add sprinkled to each batch of buttercream and fold in to distribute.
6. Fill one bag (1/2 way full) with white frosting, one bag with pink frosting and then put both bags in a third piping bag. Pipe a swirl of buttercream onto the first cake layer then add the second layer on top. Repeat the process. Fill in any gaps on between the layers with buttercream and give a quick smooth.
7. Pipe alternating white and pink rings on the vertical side of the cake and top. Use a bench scraper to smooth the side and an offset spatula to smooth the top. To finish the corner of the cake use the bench scraper to slowly pull inwards while you turn the cake.
8. Transfer some white buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the buttercream on the top edge of the cake using a wave motion. You could also pipe dollops, or a braid pattern instead.
9. Press sprinkles onto the base of the cake and it’s ready to serve!!
If you love this recipe try these out!
Funfetti Cake with Italian meringue Buttercream
If you’ve tried this Pink Birthday Cake Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Pink Birthday Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cupsugar
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 egg whites
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sprinkles
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 cup butter
- 5 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 drop soft pink food gel coloring
- 1/4 cup sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cake
- Butter and flour three six inch pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking as well. Preheat oven to 340F.
- Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the sprinkles at the very end and mix until just combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly into the cake pans.
- Bake at 340 for about 25-30 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and cream and mix. Divide into two batches and dye one with the pink food coloring. You will stir in about 1 tbs of sprinkles into the white buttercream and 1/4 cup into the pink buttercream.
- Transfer both colors to 2 piping bags. Snip off the tips. Transfer both to one piping bag. Snip off the tip.
For the Assembly:
- Pipe buttercream between the cake layers.
- Cover the cake with a thin crumb coat and chill for a few minutes.
- Once the cake has chilled, pipe buttercream on the outside of the cake. With a steady hand, work your way around the cake until it is completely covered with the buttercream.
- Cover the cake with the buttercream and smooth with an offset spatula.
- Use the regular buttercream and pipe the pink and white buttercream between each layer. You can get a two-tone effect by filling one bag with white buttercream, one with the pink and then placing both in a third bag.
- Lightly press confetti sprinkles on the bottom of the cake and then pipe the white Italian buttercream using an 869 tip.
Notes
- If sour cream isn't available you can substitute whole milk yogurt, I do it all the time and can't really tell the difference.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set online or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a so check it out if you're interested!
- If you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
Nutrition
Ashlyn says
Hi! Love this cute cake! I am making it for my daughter’s 3rd Birthday. Can I use 8 or 9 inch cake pans instead? Would I need to adjust the recipe any? I don’t have 6 inch cake pans, and I need it to serve a little more. Also, if I don’t have something for piping the frosting do you have any tips on how to do it? Thanks so much!
John K. says
Ashlyn,
You’ll need to adjust your recipe if you’re using 8 or 9 inch pans! Just a warning, you might end up tripling it 🙂
John
Karen says
I’m ambitiously attempting a layer cake for my daughters upcoming first birthday. I found one recipe I liked but now I want to do this one more! However I only have 8inch pans not 6inch. How much more of the ingredients would I need to make it a 3 layer 8 inch? If not an easy answer I understand 😉
John K. says
Karen,
I would triple the recipe!
John
Hope F says
Dear John,
I’ve been teaching myself how to bake for while and I have to tell you that of the hundreds (!!) of recipes I’ve tried, this one is the best by leaps and bounds. I will never make another recipe other than yours! Thank you!
Hope
John says
Hi Hope F — Thank you so much for the kind words! You have no idea the kind of impact comments like yours have on me. Thank you again. Best, John.
Noreen says
I just realized I’m out of unsalted butter ???? In your opinion would using salted butter, what I have in stock, alter the recipe results significantly? Is there another ingredient I could reduce to make up the difference?
Thanks!
Noreen
John says
Hi Noreen — It shouldn’t change the recipe dramatically. I prefer unsalted butter because it allows me to be more aware/in more control of how much salt is in my food. Let me know how it goes! Best, John.
Wendi says
John, First off it looks like you respond to your viewers comments which is great! I have been on other blog sites where the author does not comment on questions-not helpful.
Would you say that crumb for the funfetti cake is more dense? I am considering this recipe for cupcakes and don’t want the lifeless, airy type of cake.
Hey, thanks!
John says
Hi Wendi — I appreciate the feedback! The funfetti cakes are definitely denser than some of the other cakes on this blog. I recommend giving it a go! Best of luck, John.
Lola says
Hi !! I’ve been following you on instagram for probably 7 or 8 months, and now is the first time i’m trying one of your recipes (with chocolate chip instead of funfetti) !! Is the room temperature butter a wet ingredient ? Cause it doesn’t mix well with the rest. It’s probably not warm enough tho haha
I’ll gladly send you a picture if you’d like !
Thank you and have a good day !
John says
Hi Lola — Yes, room temperature butter would be a wet ingredient. Thank you for the kinds words and support. I am always interested in hearing how the recipe works for other people. Best, John.
Zoe says
Hi,
When you say “beat” did you use an electric whisk or by hand?
Thanks,
Zoe
John says
Hi Zoe — hand mixer 🙂 Thanks, John.
Dan says
Loving the blog! I’ve made the sage pasta, the ultimate chocolate cake, and the shrimp scampi – all are excellent! Question: what do you consider wet ingredients? Your instructions are just a little a vague. I know in many baking recipes, sugar is usually part of the wet ingredients. Does it matter?
John says
Hi Dan — A wet ingredient means that the ingredient was “wet” before it was added to the recipe 🙂 aka sugar is a dry ingredient. I hope this helps! Best, John.
Jessica walker says
What size of cake pans are these? Can’t I sit to try!
John says
Hi Jessica — Use 6-inch pans. I also updated the recipe for this reason. Hope this helps! Best, John.
Jessica Walker says
Thank you so much!!!! Is 6×2 good?
Lucy says
What sprinkles brand do you use? I tried a similar came however the sprinkles color dissolved into the mix!
Thanks
John says
Hi Lucy — I like to use Jimmies! When I don’t, I look to Amazon. Hope this helps! Best, John.