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Easy Homemade Birthday Confetti Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

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A tender, fluffy confetti cake with a subtle almond flavor and rainbow sprinkles, topped with a silky vanilla buttercream. This easy, crowd-pleasing birthday cake comes together in about an hour and is perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup (85g) rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)
  • 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted (for buttercream)
  • 3–4 tablespoons (45-60ml) heavy cream (for buttercream)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (for buttercream)
  • ¼ cup (40g) extra rainbow sprinkles (for decoration, optional)
  • Fresh berries or edible flowers (for decoration, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, grease paper, and dust with flour.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Add softened butter and oil to dry ingredients. Beat on low speed with a stand mixer or hand mixer until mixture resembles damp sand (about 2 minutes).
  4. With mixer on low, slowly add buttermilk and mix until just combined. Scrape down bowl.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. With mixer on medium-low, add egg mixture in two additions, mixing for 30 seconds after each until batter is smooth and glossy.
  6. Remove bowl from mixer. Gently fold in rainbow sprinkles with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed.
  7. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Remove parchment and cool completely.
  8. For buttercream: Beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy and pale (about 3 minutes). Gradually add sifted powdered sugar on low speed. Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more cream if too thick.
  9. Place one cooled cake layer on serving plate. Spread about ¾ cup buttercream evenly on top. Place second layer on top. Apply a thin crumb coat, refrigerate 15 minutes, then apply final layer of buttercream. Decorate with extra sprinkles.

Notes

Use jimmies (rod-shaped sprinkles) not nonpareils to prevent color bleeding. Room temperature ingredients are crucial for best texture. Cake tastes even better the next day. For clean slices, use a serrated knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.

Nutrition

Keywords: birthday cake, confetti cake, vanilla cake, buttercream, rainbow sprinkles, easy cake, homemade cake

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/easy-homemade-birthday-confetti-cake-with-vanilla-buttercream/