Festive Colorful Vanilla Sprinkle Cake (Printable)
Colorful vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles and creamy buttercream frosting
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Components
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)
→ Buttercream Frosting
10 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
13 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Extra sprinkles for decoration
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, lining bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just incorporated.
06 - Gently fold rainbow sprinkles into batter using spatula, taking care not to overmix.
07 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center emerges clean.
08 - Let layers cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt, beating until light, fluffy, and spreadable.
10 - Frost top of one cooled layer, position second layer atop, then cover entire cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with additional sprinkles.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The vanilla buttercream is impossibly creamy and dreams of bakery counters
- Rainbow sprinkles folded into the batter make every slice feel like a party
- It comes together faster than you would expect from a homemade cake
02 -
- Jimmies are the only sprinkles that will not bleed color into your batter
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the batter from curdling or becoming dense
- Completely cool cake layers prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off
03 -
- Sift powdered sugar twice to prevent any lumps in your buttercream
- Chill your frosted cake for 15 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts