Easy Confetti Cake
Easy confetti cake is fun, festive, and simple to make! The secret ingredient in this recipe is…cake mix! Adding several ingredients to the cake mix makes it taste like it is made completely from scratch! Pair it with vanilla buttercream frosting and a ton of rainbow sprinkles, and this cake will make someone’s birthday very happy!
Ingredients for Easy Confetti Cake
Confetti cake
- White cake mix: Use your favorite white cake mix! I have tried several brands and they all work well!
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Salt: A little bit of salt to enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Sour cream: Room temperature.
- Unsalted butter: Melted.
- Milk: Room temperature.
- Eggs: Large eggs, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract to enhance the vanilla birthday cake flavor.
- Almond extract: A touch of almond extract also contributes to the classic birthday cake flavor.
- Rainbow sprinkles: You will want to use the regular, “jimmies” rainbow sprinkles. If you use nonpareil sprinkles (the little tiny dots), then the color will bleed into the cake and it will turn a grayish color. If the sprinkles are too big or chunky, then they won’t melt nicely into the cake.
Vanilla buttercream frosting
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar: You do not need to sift the powdered sugar unless it appears to be very lumpy.
- Salt: A bit of salt helps bring out the flavor of the buttercream and contrasts some of the sweetness. If you only have salted butter, just omit the additional salt.
- Vanilla extract: I recommend using a pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best “vanilla ice cream” flavor.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream brings everything together and makes the buttercream light and fluffy.
Tools & Supplies for Making Easy Confetti Cake
- Cake pans – three 7-inch or 8-inch round cake pans
- Parchment circles
- Mixing bowls
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Offset spatula
- Kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
- Cake turntable
- Cake circles
- Large cookie scoop
- Cake scraper
- Piping bag
- Wilton 1M piping tip
How to Make Easy Confetti Cake
Confetti cake
Easy confetti birthday cake is incredibly easy to make and requires just one bowl to make the batter! I recommend using an electric hand mixer to make this recipe. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Preheat oven to 335 degrees F and prepare cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment circles.
- Combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients (except for rainbow sprinkles) in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the batter on medium speed for 2 full minutes. Yes, 2 full minutes. Set a timer for yourself!
- Add in rainbow sprinkles and fold in to combine.
- Using a kitchen scale, portion the cake batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake the cake layers for approximately 45-50 minutes in the oven until the cakes spring back when gently touched or toothpick comes out clean. We are baking low and slow!
- Remove the cake pans from the oven and allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla buttercream frosting
To make the vanilla buttercream, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment (your preference) or an electric hand mixer.
- Whip butter for about 5 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar in two parts, mixing on low speed in between each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and salt.
- Slowly drizzle in heavy cream.
- Whip the buttercream for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Easy Confetti Cake Recipe Tips
Bake perfect cake layers
Check out my blog post on 10 Tips to Bake Perfect Cakes to learn simple tips and tricks to make your confetti cake perfect!
Cut off the caramelization from the cake layers
Caramelization is that natural browning that occurs on the outside of the cake while it is baking. Carefully cut off the caramelization on your cake layers to create a more professional look. This is completely optional! Use a serrated knife for best results and wait until the cake is completely cooled.
Assembling the cake
Check out my baking tutorial on how to frost a layer cake to learn the steps to filling, stacking, and frosting a basic layer cake. Decorate the cake however you would like! For this cake, I added nonpareils sprinkles and a candy melt drip.
Storing and serving
Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Serve the cake at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
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Easy Confetti Cake
Equipment
- 3 7-inch or 8-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
Confetti Cake
- 1 (1) white cake mix
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 cup (230 g) sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup (244 g) milk room temperature
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter melted
- 3 (3) eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (4 g) almond extract
- ½ cup (80 g) rainbow sprinkles extra for decoration if desired
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp (13 g) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) heavy cream
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt adjust to taste
- rainbow sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
Confetti Cake
- Preheat oven to 335° F. Prepare three 7-inch or 8-inch round cake pans using cooking spray and parchment circles.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine white cake mix, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, sour cream, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Using an electric hand mixer, mix the ingredients on low until fully combined.
- Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and mix for a full 2 minutes until the batter is whipped up and fluffy.
- Add in rainbow sprinkles and fold in with a spatula until they are dispersed.
- Divide batter evenly between your cake pans.
- Bake cakes for approximately 45-50 minutes in the oven until the cakes spring back when gently touched or toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the pans from the oven and cool the cakes in the pan for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Level cake layers using a serrated knife and cut off the caramelization if desired.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in room temperature unsalted butter. Whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally. The butter will be light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add one half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until incorporated.
- Add vanilla extract and salt and mix on low until combined. Drizzle in heavy cream.
- Turn the speed on the mixer to high and whip for an additional 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
- If desired, switch to a paddle attachment on the stand mixer and mix buttercream on low speed for 2 additional minutes to remove air bubbles to create smooth frosting.
Assembling the Cake
- Place one cake layer on a cake board or plate. Add desired amount of frosting to the top of the layer and spread evenly.
- Continue to repeat this process until the layers are stacked.
- Spread a very thin layer of frosting all over the cake (crumb coat). Chill your cake for 30 minutes until the buttercream is firm to the touch.
- Frost the cake using the buttercream. For smooth results, use an offset spatula with a cake scraper.
- Decorate the cake however you wish! Be sure to add plenty of rainbow sprinkles!
Notes
Made This Recipe?
Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!
About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
I’ve made this recipe several times and was a huge hit. I am planning on using it to make a 1/2 sheet cake what is your suggested baking time
Hi Susan! I haven’t tested this recipe as a half sheet cake. I’m thinking for that size, you will probably need to 1.5x or 2x the recipe. As far as baking time, it is difficult to say just because I haven’t tested it. I would imagine you would be looking at a minimum of 40 minutes, but possibly greater. My favorite way to test and see if cakes are done baking is to gently touch the top center of the cake. If it bounces back, the cake is done. If it indents, it requires a bit more time. Sorry for the vague answer!
I doubled the recipe and baked for 45 minutes it was perfect also used your vanilla pastry cream as a filling & Swiss meringue buttercream So yummy, perfectly perfect. Thanks
So happy to hear! That combination sounds delicious!
Help! I think I messed up! I used two 8 inch. Is that too much cake mix? Is it going to over flow?
Hi Suzanne! Unfortunately you probably will have too much cake batter for 2 8-inch pans. You can use the extra to make cupcakes!
When do we add the sprinkles to the frosting to make it look like the photo? Thanks!
Hi there! You can add the sprinkles after the buttercream is finished! Just fold in a bunch of sprinkles! So fun!
Hi! Can this recipe be made into cupcakes? If so what temp/time do you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Sabrina! Yes it can! I would do 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
Can this recipe be made in a 9 x 13 pan?
Hi Gene! The recipe would probably yield a bit too much batter for a 9×13 pan. What I would recommend is using about 3/4 of the batter in the pan and baking up the rest as cupcakes!
I don’t have sour cream, can I substitute anything for it?
Hi Joana! You can substitute plain greek yogurt!
What kind of candy melts can I use to make the drips.
Hi there! Really any kind! I often go with Wilton brand because that is what is available at my local grocery store.
May I use boxed strawberry cake instead? Still add the sprinkles for fun?
Hi Jessyca! Yes, you can use strawberry cake mix. Sprinkles are always fun!
This looks delicious. Are you ever going to put up a wedding cake recipe?
Hi Kate! Not specifically. However, I do have several recipes that would make great wedding cakes including white cake, raspberry almond cake and vanilla cake!
Hi I was wondering if I made this cake or any cake with the buttercream frosting how long can it sit at room temperature. I want to make for a wedding cake and don’t want it to melt
Usually buttercream cakes can stay out at room temperature for a day or two, but they will not do well in heat and humidity.
Hi help. I followed everything to the letter. Why are my cakes so flat? I used 3 7 inch pans. And the cakes are only bout an inch thick. I live in Miami just in case that makes a difference. Thanks
Hi Eva! I’m not sure. I have never had cakes turn out flat with this recipe. Usually because of the cake mix base, they puff up really well! Heat and humidity certainly can have an effect on baking, but I’m not sure if that is what caused the flat layers.
If I were to do the 6”-4 layers, how tall would the cake be? I’m trying to get an accurate size cake box!
Can’t to make!
Hi there! That is very difficult for me to say! I truly couldn’t even give you an estimate and it would also depend on the thickness of the frosting/filling you are adding the cake. I’m sorry I don’t have a great answer for that question!
Hi! I’m so excited to make this for my daughter’s first birthday! I do have one question – do you recommend the 8 by 2 pans or the 8 by 3? I’m new to baking cakes, so I just wanted to check 🙂
I would go with 3 8-inch pans! How exciting! Happy birthday to your daughter! This is the exact recipe I used to make my daughter’s first birthday cake!
I made this for my granddaughter for her birthday and it was so good. Especially the frosting!! She absolutely loved it. Thank you for a great recipe.
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for trying it out and for your review! 🙂
Do you have any recommendations for using this recipe for cupcakes instead? I feel like that would be a bug hit in my house!
You can absolutely use this recipe for cupcakes without a problem! Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes!
This cake looks delicious! What did you use for the pink drips on the cake?
Thank you! The pink drip is melted pink candy melts! The melted candy melts should be slightly warm and the cake should be cold for a perfect drip! 🙂
Thank you! Can’t wait to make this! 😊
Hello ! Recipe was great but I’d i wanted it to be a little less sweet what do you recommend ?
Hello! Glad you enjoyed! You can certainly cut back on the additional granulated sugar in the recipe to your liking! 🙂
So you add flour to the already cane mix?
Yes! The cake mix is just one ingredient in the recipe! 🙂
What would you suggest to use in place of almond extract if there is a nut allergy?
You can just replace it with additional vanilla extract! 🙂
What’s the best way to make this big enough for tpofeed 30 people? I mean obviously I would double the recipe, but as far as layering it?
Yes, I would recommend doubling the recipe. For that many people, you could turn the recipe into a quarter sheet cake or make 2 round layer cakes 🙂
I’m making this tonight!! I’m starting out with Betty crockers rainbow chip mix as the base though instead of a white cake mix. Is that ok? Will it still all work out otherwise? Lol
Awesome! I haven’t tested that but I am sure it will work out just fine! Happy baking!!
Hi can I use butter milk instead of milk ?
Yes, buttermilk would work great!
Could this be made into a chocolate base case? With peanut butter icing?
You must be psychic because I am literally posting the chocolate version of this recipe with peanut butter frosting next week! It will be going up on Monday (cake) and Wednesday (buttercream).
This is the most elaborate thing I have ever baked and it was SO EASY! It turned out beautiful and tasted amazing. My husband enjoyed it for his birthday. Definitely will make again.
That’s the best part about the recipe! It is just SO easy! Thanks for trying!