This rainbow funfetti vanilla layer cake is the ultimate birthday cake for you, your kids and family! You’ll be proud to make and serve a cake that’s as much fun as this one and also surprisingly so easy to create. It consists of three colorful vanilla cake layers with vanilla buttercream frosting & is topped with funfetti sprinkles and a rainbow colored vanilla buttercream. This is a fail-proof, buttermilk vanilla layer cake recipe that’s extremely delicious and downright impressive!
Ingredients you’ll need to make this cake:
- All-purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Cake flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, and is finer, lighter, and softer. When it comes to cakes, we want them to be light, soft, and tender, with a fine, close crumb. And that is exactly what you will get if you use cake flour! A mixture of both of them gives the best results in my opinion.
- Unsalted butter: It is very important to have your butter at room temperature. You can ensure this by lightly pressing your finger on the block of butter. It should slightly leave an imprint. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
- Granulated Sugar: You’ll need only granulated sugar for this cake. Even though brown sugar adds more moistness, I wouldn’t recommend adding it as food coloring doesn’t mix very well with it. The extra egg yolk and oil make up for the moistness from brown sugar.
- Eggs: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of your cake and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your cake batter. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
- Egg yolk: This cake is truly so soft and moist. One of the secret to that is this extra egg yolk which adds more moisture to it along with also being a binding agent.
- Oil: You can use either vegetable oil or canola oil. This is one of the secrets resulting in this cake being ultra soft and moist. Oil reduces the gluten formation in your batter, which makes the cake more moist as compared to using butter as a fat. I do not recommend using olive oil, as it adds a strong flavor of it’s own and changes the taste.
- Vanilla: You must use a high quality pure vanilla extract in your recipes. This helps to add a rich flavor to your baked goods. Pure vanilla extracts are typically dark brown in color. This enhances the flavor of all ingredients and you should never leave this out.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is more acidic and has a higher fat content than whole milk too. Both of these things help it cut through the sweetness of the cake, giving them a better flavor overall. It also helps to add moisture to your bakes.
- Powdered Sugar: This will help add sweetness and stability to your frosting. Add only a few spoons at a time and beat until completely incorporated. Don’t use granulated sugar as it will not dissolve in your frosting as powdered or confectioners’ sugar will.
Some Notes:
Whether you’re making a layer cake or a single layer cake, flat tops are always desirable. The reason why cakes dome that your cake pan heats up much faster than the rest of the cake causing the edges to set before the cake has risen fully, and as the rest of the cake cooks the centre rises and creates a dome. To avoid this from happening you want to protect the edges of your cake pan. To do this, you can wrap cake strips, foil, or a damp cloth around the edges of your cake pan. Be careful with the damp cloth as it might start burning after it completely dries out. This trick will ensure you get flat tops always!
In order to evenly frost your cake, use a cookie scoop to add the prepared buttercream on top. Start by adding around 1 large scoop or ½ cup of frosting on top of the first layer. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly on top of the cake. Repeat with the other two cake layers. Add around another or ½ cup of frosting around the cake using an offset spatula. This will be the crumb coat of the cake. Make sure not to put too much pressure and remove crumbs from the cake. Refrigerate for around 30 minutes t0 allow the crumb coat to set on your cake. Add around another ½ to 1 cup of frosting around the cake using an offset spatula to form a thick layer along the edges of the cake. You can use a bench scraper or an icing scraper to smooth out the walls of the cake. Smooth the top and edges using an offset spatula to form sharp corners. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for another 20 minutes to let it set.
Divide your buttercream evenly into 4 parts. You will need around 180g of buttercream with each part being 45g. Add in the liquid/gel coloring to each part respectively. Take one piping bag and cut it open. Add thick strips of each frosting color in the order you desire using a spoon or by piping them. Fold the piping bag like a log from one edge to the other. Transfer this piping bag to another one fitted with a 1M Wilton Star Tip. Keeping your piping bag perpendicular to the top of the frosted cake, pipe circles to get a rope shaped rainbow border on the cake.
Other Cakes & Cupcakes you’ll love:
- Ultra Soft Brown Butter Orange & Cinnamon Layer Cake
- Single Layer Chocolate Ganache Buttermilk Cake
- Ultra Moist S’mores Buttermilk Cupcakes
Some other tips you’ll need to make this recipe:
- If you’re out of cake flour, I have a substitute for you. Take one cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons from it and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch/cornflour. Sift the mixture twice & discard any remaining lumps. Your cake flour is ready!
- If you’re in a pinch and don’t have buttermilk in hand, I have a DIY substitute for this as well. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in half cup. You can double or half this as required. Fill that cup with whole milk to the top. Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes. That’s it, your buttermilk is ready. Your muffins may not turn out marvellous, but they will still be delicious!
- I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer and a kitchen scale. Baking at accurate temperatures and weighing your ingredients correctly ensure that you can replicate the recipes perfectly and enjoy the best flavors.
Happy Baking!
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Rainbow Funfetti Vanilla Layer Cake
- Total Time: 2 hours (includes chilling time)
- Yield: one 3-layer 6-inch cake 1x
Ingredients
Rainbow Vanilla Cake
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (125g) cake flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cup (300g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (79ml) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- food coloring of your choice
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3½ cups (450g) powdered or confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Rainbow Buttercream & Funfetti Base
- 180g vanilla buttercream frosting
- 1 teaspoon yellow liquid coloring
- ½ teaspoon pink liquid coloring
- ½ teaspoon blue liquid coloring
- ½ teaspoon green liquid coloring
- Rainbow funfetti sprinkles
Instructions
Rainbow Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Meanwhile, grease three 6-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. Set them aside. Parchment paper helps the cake release easily from the pans.
- In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg and extra egg yolk. Beat again until combined. The mixture will now be light and fluffy. Lastly, stir in the oil and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients about 4-5 tablespoons at a time and beat on low speed until combined. Repeat until all dry ingredients are added. Lastly, add in the buttermilk and beat until it is fully incorporated.
- Your cake batter will weigh 1146g at this point. Divide it into three parts, each weighing 382g. Add in the the food coloring until the desired color is reached.
- Add the colored cake batter into all your cake pans. I don’t recommend letting your cake batter sit after being prepared. This can result in the cracked cake tops.
- Cover your cake tins with cake strips, foil or a damp, wet cloth so that the cakes don’t come out dome-shaped and can be layered easily. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In a large bowl, add the unsalted butter. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar in batches, one-third at a time and beat on low speed until it is fully incorporated. Repeat until all the sugar is added. Clean the edges of your bowl using a silicone spatula when done. The mixture will now be light and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined into the buttercream.
Frosting the cake
- In order to evenly frost your cake, use a cookie scoop to add the prepared buttercream on top. Start by adding around 1 large scoop or ½ cup of frosting on top of the first layer.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly on top of the cake. Repeat with the other two cake layers.
- Add around another or ½ cup of frosting around the cake using an offset spatula. This will be the crumb coat of the cake. Make sure not to put too much pressure and remove crumbs from the cake.
- Refrigerate for around 30 minutes t0 allow the crumb coat to set on your cake.
- Add around another ½ to 1 cup of frosting around the cake using an offset spatula to form a thick layer along the edges of the cake. You can use a bench scraper or an icing scraper to smooth out the walls of the cake.
- Smooth the top and edges using an offset spatula to form sharp corners. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.
Rainbow Buttercream & Funfetti Base
- While your cake is chilling, take the remaining buttercream frosting and divide it evenly into 4 parts. You will need around 180g of buttercream with each part being 45g.
- Add in the liquid/gel coloring to each part respectively.
- Take one piping bag and cut it open. Add thick strips of each frosting color in the order you desire using a spoon or by piping them. Fold the piping bag like a log from one edge to the other. Transfer this piping bag to another one fitted with a 1M Wilton Star Tip.
- Keeping your piping bag perpendicular to the top of the frosted cake, pipe circles to get a rope shaped rainbow border on the cake.
- Finally add a thick layer of funfetti sprinkles along the bottom of the cake. Enjoy!
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto a week.
Notes
- I recommend baking this cake in the span of two days to avoid tiring yourself. Bake the layers the first day. Make the buttercream and frost it the next day!
- If you’re using gel colors, I recommend adding only a drop at a time until you get the desired color.
- If you’re out of cake flour, I have a substitute for you. Take one cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons from it and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch/cornflour. Sift the mixture twice & discard any remaining lumps. Your cake flour is ready!
- If you’re in a pinch and don’t have buttermilk in hand, I have a DIY substitute for this as well. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in half cup. You can double or half this as required. Fill that cup with whole milk to the top. Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes. That’s it, your buttermilk is ready. Your muffins may not turn out marvellous, but they will still be delicious!
- I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer and a kitchen scale. Baking at accurate temperatures and weighing your ingredients correctly ensure that you can replicate the recipes perfectly and enjoy the best flavors.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Cakes
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Rainbow funfetti cake, vanilla layer cake, rainbow layer cake, Rainbow sprinkles cake
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