This is a tall, towering confetti layer cake filled to the brim with rainbow sprinkles and finished off with sweet vanilla buttercream frosting. It’s classic and party-perfect in every way! The recipe has lived on my website since 2014 and has become a popular favorite, even scoring #1 (out of 9!) in a sprinkle cake bake-off. Below you’ll find my detailed recipe, video, and best success tips.
Just Like Box Funfetti Cake
This thick, plush confetti birthday cake is filled with the flavors of childhood party nostalgia: butter, vanilla, sugar, and rainbow sprinkles. Close your eyes and you can practically hear the sound of balloons being blown up and smell the extinguished birthday candles. But this cake shouldn’t be limited to birthday parties—or to childhood! This happy cake is a joy to serve and eat at any celebration. It’s like the boxed Funfetti cake, but better.
Why You’ll Love This Confetti Layer Cake
- From-scratch and loaded with happy colorful sprinkles
- Topped with sweet & creamy classic vanilla buttercream
- Soft crumb from cake flour
- Fluffy from extra egg whites
- Buttery & cakey from creamed butter & sugar
- Stick-to-your-fork moist (without tasting greasy!) from eggs, oil, & buttermilk
- Extra flavor from pure vanilla extract
This towering rainbow delight has been on my site for a number of years, and during that time, I’ve made a couple small updates. This was a great confetti birthday cake recipe before; in fact, it was rated No. 1 (of 9) in the Pancake Princess’ best sprinkle cake bake-off, and came in a close 2nd in the Kitchn’s Funfetti cake bake-off. But with 3 small updates, the cake is now even greater.
From the Kitchn’s review: “This cake was seriously delicious. It had a nice light texture but was still super moist. The vanilla flavor was bold without being overpowering, and the cake was sweet without being cloying. I loved how easy the frosting was to make and appreciated how smoothly it went onto the cake. My only critique is that you have to whip the egg whites in a separate bowl, so it’s a bit tedious, but that’s the only negative I can think of.”
I have some egg-cellent news: that egg-stra step is gone. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
What’s New in This Birthday Cake Recipe?
- Add the egg whites at the same time as the whole eggs: 4 whole eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness. 2 extra egg whites keep the cake lighter. Though whipping the whites separately does assist in preventing a dense cake, in recent testing, I discovered that removing this whipping step can be offset by 2 other changes to keep the batter light. (Both are next.)
- Decrease the butter and add oil: Previously, the recipe called for 1.5 cups of butter (3 sticks, about 345g), but using all creamed butter in a cake can certainly weigh down the crumb. I love using oil in cake recipes because it adds moisture and a delicate texture. And I love using butter in cake recipes because of its unparalleled flavor. Finding the right proportion of each? Now that’s the sweet spot, and I found it by reducing the butter by ¼ cup and adding in ⅓ cup oil in its place.
- Use cake flour: If you want a fluffy and soft bakery-style cake, use cake flour.
After years of testing cake recipes, I’m more confident than ever in this updated version. The cake closely resembles my vanilla cake, but uses a bit less sugar because we’re adding sweet sprinkles.
These Step Photos Will Help
Here is the butter, sugar, and oil mixture. You’ll cream butter and sugar together first, and then mix in the oil. Mixture will be creamy and mostly smooth:
Jimmies-type sprinkles are best for this Funfetti-style homemade cake. Expect a thick batter:
Divide the batter between 3 9-inch cake pans. You can squeeze the cake batter in 3 8-inch cake pans if needed, but be sure to extend the bake time as noted in the recipe. Always line your round pans with parchment paper rounds before adding the batter. Cool baked cakes for 20 minutes in the cake pans, and then remove the warm cakes and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Sprinkle Success Tips
I’ve been baking sprinkles into cake & cupcake batters for years and have learned exactly which sprinkles work, and which don’t. Happy to share my best advice:
- My top sprinkle tip: Do not use nonpareils (the little balls) in cake batter. They will bleed their color as you fold them in, result in a less-than-appetizing-color cake.
- Rainbow sprinkles (aka “jimmies”) sold in the U.S. are intensely colored, but sprinkles sold in other countries may lose their color when baked. “Sugar strands” may be the same shape as jimmies, but they dissolve in the wet batter. For best results, try to use American-style rainbow sprinkles. The pictured cake uses Betty Crocker “Parlor Perfect” rainbow sprinkles. I also really like Canadian-brand Sweetapolita sprinkles.
- Confetti quins (the little discs) are also great to use in a sprinkle birthday cakes & cupcakes. They rarely bleed their color in batter.
- Naturally colored sprinkles are wonderful as decoration, but—depending on the brand—can lose their color in cake batter.
Buttercream Frosting
I use the same frosting as my 3-layer vanilla cake, but add a little more vanilla. It’s basically my vanilla buttercream recipe, only scaled up to yield enough for a tall layer cake. If you prefer chocolate frosting, use the chocolate fudge frosting from my piñata cake recipe. (It’s enough for this size cake.)
For a less sweet frosting option, use this recipe for Swiss meringue buttercream.
Can I tint this frosting? Yes! Feel free to add gel food coloring to the frosting to change its color.
Decorating Success Tip: Add a Crumb Coat
Because it’s so moist, the confetti cake can be a little crumbly when you’re decorating it. I recommend applying a thin crumb coat, which is a layer of frosting around the exterior of the cake to catch any crumbs. The frosting recipe below includes enough frosting for that thin crumb coat, then another thin layer of frosting on top of that. Note that I applied a slightly thicker crumb coat in the video tutorial below. Doesn’t matter either way; you’ll just have less or more frosting for that final frosting layer.
Use a flat icing spatula to spread on the frosting. Icing spatulas are handy if you decorate cakes and cupcakes often. Then you can run a bench scraper around the sides of the cake to smooth out the crumb coat as well as the top layer of frosting. You can watch me use both in the video tutorial below.
Chill the crumb-coated cake for 30 minutes, and then apply the final frosting layer.
Looking for a fun sprinkle cake that requires less effort than a 3-layer cake? Try these recipes:
- 1-Layer Sprinkle Cake
- 6-Inch Birthday Cake
- 12×17-inch Sprinkle Sheet Cake
- Super-soft Confetti Cupcakes
- Buttery Funfetti Cupcakes
- Prefer cheesecake? Try confetti sprinkle cheesecake
- Or for breakfast try birthday cake pancakes or birthday cake cinnamon rolls
And here are the 10 best cake decorating tools.
Confetti Birthday Cake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes chilling & cooling)
- Yield: serves 12-14
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery vanilla layer cake filled to the brim with rainbow sprinkles and finished off with sweet vanilla frosting. Pictured cake is 9 inches; for thicker cakes, use 8-inch pans. Review the recipe notes and bring all ingredients to room temperature before you begin.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 and 3/4 cups (443g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature*
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature*
- 3 teaspoons (15ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 3/4 cup (135g) rainbow sprinkles*
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 and 1/2 cups (650g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons (15ml) pure vanilla extract (or use clear imitation vanilla extract for stark white frosting)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: additional sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 5 full minutes until completely creamed together and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the oil and beat for 1 minute until combined. Add the eggs, egg whites, and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add dry ingredients and buttermilk in three additions, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Do not over-mix this batter. The batter will be velvety and thick. Gently fold in the sprinkles. Pour and spread the batter evenly into each cake pan.
- Bake for around 25–26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. (8-inch cakes may take about 27–28 minutes.) Tent the cakes with foil after about 15 minutes to prevent the sides and top from over-browning. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Allow cakes to cool in the pans set on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and then remove cakes from pans. Place cakes directly on wire racks to cool completely. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds and then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting seems too thin; more cream if frosting is too thick; or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Assemble cake + apply crumb coat: First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place one cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Using a large icing spatula or small offset spatula, evenly cover the top with about 1 cup (about 250g) of frosting. Repeat with second cake layer, 1 more cup of frosting, and then the top cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and around the sides as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper around the cake to smooth out crumb coat. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to set the crumb coat.
- Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Garnish with extra sprinkles, if desired.
- Serve cake immediately, or if you need to store it for a few hours, place it in a cake carrier at room temperature for up to 4 hours. For longer storage, refrigerate covered cake for up to 1 day. Cake is best served at room temperature, though, so if it’s been refrigerated, let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store it in the refrigerator for 5 days. Again, I like using a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared and then covered and refrigerated overnight. When ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 15 minutes, then give it one more mix with the mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute before frosting cake. (Add a splash of cream to thin out frosting if needed.) See step 10 if you want to store the frosted/decorated cake before serving it. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving. See how to freeze cakes for detailed instructions.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch or 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Rubber Spatula | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Large Icing Spatula or Small Offset Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- 2022 Update: Recipe above was slightly updated in 2022. Old version used to call for 3 sticks (about 345g) of butter and no oil. The slight reduction of butter and added oil makes a moister cake, but feel free to use the old version. Also, the extra egg whites are now added when you add the whole eggs. You used to have to whip them separately until soft peaks form and then fold them in before adding the sprinkles. This step isn’t really necessary because we’re using a little oil and cake flour now. (See next Note.)
- Eggs: 4 whole eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness. 2 extra egg whites keep the cake light. I don’t recommend using 5 whole eggs as a replacement; stick to the 4 eggs + 2 egg whites combination.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a DIY sour milk substitute. Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 and 1/2 cups. (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Sprinkles: Avoid using sprinkles that will dye your batter. Steer clear of nonpareils, which are the little balls. The pictured cake uses Betty Crocker “Parlor Perfect” rainbow sprinkles, which I find in my regular grocery store. I also like to use these rainbow jimmies or confetti quins. Note that naturally colored sprinkles may lose their color in cake batter.
- Chocolate Frosting: Use the frosting from this piñata cake recipe. It makes enough for this size cake.
- Amount of Cake Batter & Other Size Cakes: This recipe yields nearly 8 cups of batter, which is helpful if you need it for different Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions. For a 1-layer cake, 12×17-inch sheet cake, or 6-inch layer cake, see the list of recipe links in the post, above the recipe card. For a 2-layer cake, divide batter between 2 9-inch cake pans instead of 3. (This is too much batter for 2 8-inch pans.) Increase bake time to about 30 minutes and use a toothpick to test for doneness. For a Bundt cake, use a 10–12-cup generously greased Bundt pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. There is too much batter for a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake. I have 2 recipes on my website that would work for a 9×13-inch sprinkle cake. You could use this light and fluffy white cake recipe and fold 1/2 cup (about 90g) sprinkles into the batter before pouring into the pan. See those recipe Notes for a 9×13-inch cake. Or you can use this buttery sprinkle sheet cake recipe. See those recipe Notes for a 9×13-inch cake.
- Cupcakes: Use this batter for 3 dozen sprinkle cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full to avoid over-flowing. Or use my confetti sprinkle cupcakes or funfetti cupcakes recipes.
Quick question, do you know how many cups of batter it makes? I only have two pans, so I have to bake those first before I can do my third. Just trying to determine roughly how to divide it into thirds! Thank you!
Hi Jamie, this recipe yields about 8 cups of batter.
Quick question, I only have two round pans, is it okay if I bake the first two layers, clean the pan, and bake off the third layer or do you think the batter will flatten too much?
I love all your recipes, make them all the time, you’re my #1 go-to, I’m scared to try someone else and have a fail, so I stick with what I know hehe.
Hi Steph, absolutely! Just keep the leftover batter covered at room temperature while waiting for the other layers to bake. Enjoy!
Hello. Just a follow up on the question above. I have just 1 8 inch pan. Can I wait and bake each of the three layers one by one?
Absolutely. Keep the batter at room temperature while you wait for the pan.
Love this recipe so much and want to try it this weekend.
I’d like to bake it in little 4inch cake tins, can you suggest how I’d scale down?
Hi Choo! This will be quite a lot of batter, our confetti cupcakes batter will get you closer. Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
I will first say I use one of your chocolate cake recipes and love it. This recipe was not a hit. I consider myself an experienced bakery with any type of breads and cakes, and I had the same experience as a lot of reviewers. It was very dense and just an overall unappealing texture. I wish I had read the reviews before I spent a good part of my day baking this for my daughter’s birthday, but I trusted your website because of other good recipes. I will be searching for a different yellow/sprinkle cake recipe.
Thank you for always being so detailed in the notes of your recipes along with freezing and storage tips! You are a trusted baking source with stellar recipes!!’
I have a 12 by 14 inch sheet pan, can I use it for this recipe
Hi Amma, for other cake pan sizes, see the list of recipe links in the post, above the recipe card. Or, this recipe makes about 8 cups of batter which is helpful for determining other cake pan sizes and conversions.
Hi! I’d like to try this Confetti Birthday Cake recipe but in the 6″ version since I’ll be making it for a smaller group. 🙂 I found the link in this recipe to the 6 Inch Birthday Cake with Easy Buttercream Flowers, and my question between the two recipes is the amount of eggs to use in the 6″ version.
This 9″ confetti cake requires 4 Large Eggs and 2 Large Egg Whites, while the 6″ cake requires 3 Large Egg Whites. (The 6″ cake also requires sour cream, which I’m planning to just eliminate for the Confetti Cake recipe.) Can you please tell me how many eggs & egg whites are required for the 6″ cake to follow the Confetti Cake recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Jamie, the recipes are different. The 6-inch cake with buttercream flowers is a lighter-style crumb. Sour cream keeps it tender and cakey, and using only egg whites keeps it lighter as well. You can certainly use that recipe as written! If you’d like to use buttermilk, you can replace both the milk and sour cream in that recipe with buttermilk. I haven’t tried scaling this exact recipe down. If you want to use egg yolks, feel free to swap 2 of the egg whites in the linked recipe with 1 whole egg.
Hello! I made this cake today for my daughter’s birthday. I’m pretty confident I follows the instructions. The cake was soft and the taste was wonderful, but it turned out pretty dry and crumbly. Any idea what I might have done wrong? Thanks!
Hi Katie! Usually dry cakes are caused by a couple things. First, be very careful not to over-bake. Always keep an eye on your cake in the oven and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Even an extra minute or two can lead to a dry cake. Second, how did you measure the flour? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post. Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try!
Can I use same recipe except leave out the sprinkles/confetti? I want the 3 layers but no sprinkles.
Yes, absolutely! Or you may love our vanilla cake recipe.
Should the frosted cake be stored in the fridge? If so, how long can it be stored for?
Hi Sam! See the last step: Cover leftover cake tightly and store it in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Would I be able to spread this recipe across 4×8 inch cake tins? Or would the layers be too thin?
The layers will be thinner, but you can make it work. The bake time will be shorter.
To be clear: THIS WAS EXCELLENT–it was a dense-yet-moist cake, it was gorgeous, and it was loved by all at the party… from ages 8-80. Thank you for always making me look so good 🙂
Do you have a recommendation for filling for this cake? I wanted to add a punch of flavor and was thinking raspberry between the layers but I’m not sure how to do that; I’m afraid it will make it too moist. Thanks!
Hi Kerri, You could definitely try a flavored frosting, like strawberry buttercream between the layers. If you do decide to use a fruit filling, make sure it is thick enough and we recommend using a ring of frosting around the edge to ensure the filling doesn’t come out between the layers. Hope the cake is a hit!
So delicious!! I made the cake into cupcakes and cooked them for 22mins. I cooked them in paper liners and for some reason they really stuck! Any suggestions what I did wrong?
Hi Kate, We love using these cupcake liners. We also swear by these parchment paper liners or any quality liners labeled “grease-proof.”
After following this recipe exactly, I encountered a glitch in that it wasn’t done in the time stated. I emailed for advice while putting the cake bake for 4 more minutes of baking. I received an immediate answer assuring me that all ovens are a little different and all would be well. So right you were. This was a friend’s birthday cake (78 years young). It received rave reviews from all party guests. Thanks Sally & crew!
Hi,
I’d like to have the best outcome with this cake. Is it OK to:
-use 443 grams of cake flour as in the new recipe
-use butter and oil as in the new recipe
-still whip the extra egg whites separately until soft peaks form and then fold them in before adding the sprinkles
On the other hand, I’m nervous about the recent reviews stating the cake crumbles using the new recipe, so perhaps I should stick to the older recipe with just using the butter only?
Would appreciate any thoughts.
Thanks!
Hi Nav, yes, you can definitely try the recipe that way. Hope it turns out great!
I made this cake a few years back for my sons 10th birthday. (must have been the butter not oil recipe) anyways my son is turning 13 this year and has been requesting this recipe again. I will be making number sheet cakes for him and his little brother who is turning 1. And I cannot wait to have this cake again. I’m a little nervous using the number pans but ill let you know how they turn out.
We would love to hear how it goes, Syvanna!
Hello Sally! I just made this 9-inch cake, following directions to the letter. (I am a regular home baker.). I just checked doneness after 25 minutes and the center is still quite raw. Any suggestions?
Hi Marianne, all ovens are a bit different, so no worries if yours takes a few minutes longer. Keep a close eye on them and when a toothpick comes out clean, they’re done.
I checked the tented cakes again after four additional minutes. Still raw. I’m timing another four minutes. Is this going to work?
Hi Sally!
I need to make a 2-layer 9×13 funfetti cake for a birthday. Do you think one recipe would be enough for the 2 pans or should I do 1.5x?
Thanks for the help!
Hi Suzanne! Either would be fine. I suspect 1.5x the recipe would yield some very nice thick layers, if that’s what you’re looking for. You could also just bake the cake as a 9×13 inch cake in 1 pan and after cooling, slice in half horizontally.
I want to make this for someone with an egg allergy – what is the best substitute for the 4 eggs and egg whites? I typically substitute 1 egg with 1/4 cup plain yogurt.
Hi Alyssa, we haven’t tested this recipe with egg substitutes, but let us know what you try!
I need to make and decorate this cake a day in advance. Will the sprinkles on the icing bleed into the buttercream overnight?
Hi HK, that should be fine, although different brands and types of sprinkles can release their colors more or less. To be safe, you could wait until the day of serving to add any sprinkles. Hope the cake is a hit!
I was just wondering would 1 Tablespoon of baking power be better then 1 teaspoon
Hi Mary, this recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda and baking powder. (I see you left this comment this morning, and I received your other comments, I just haven’t logged in until now to reply.) 1 Tablespoon would be too much, however, feel free to increase to 2 teaspoons. That should probably be just fine and help the cakes rise a little more.
I made this cake last year for a birthday at the office. It came out okay, a bit dense, but not bad overall. I was interested in trying the recipe with the new adjustments since it sounded like it would be closer to the kind of texture I was hoping for in the original cake. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. When making the cake, the batter looked gorgeous, smelled nice, and tasted great. I was excited to see what the cakes would look like coming out of the oven. They lost a decent amount of volume during the bake. I weighed all ingredients and baked until the cakes looked set, toothpick test came out clean, and they registered 205-210 F in the center with an instant-read thermometer.
I pressed on and frosted the cake, but the frosting recipe is pretty scant for a 9″ 3-layer cake. After the crumb coat, I quickly whipped up an extra 1/3 recipe of frosting to use for the outside, which provided the perfect amount of frosting. I have noticed that the recipes on this site tend to be a bit lighter on the frosting than I prefer, so I should have expected it going in. I guess that’s more a matter of taste than anything else, but I’m not sure I could have covered the cake satisfactorily with the original amount.
The cake looked fantastic when cut into and made for nice, tall, clean slices, but the cakes themselves were a bit dense and crumbly. Not really dry, but I wouldn’t describe it as moist or oily. Fluffy in a way, but the crumb was very tight and close. The mouthfeel was more like a soft muffin than a layer cake. It certainly wasn’t a total disaster of a cake, but I wouldn’t make the recipe again, and I did feel the need to apologize to my brother for a cake that didn’t really live up to expectations. To me, this is not an improvement over the original recipe.
Hi Mike, thank you so much for your feedback. It’s really helpful as I try to improve recipes that are less than satisfactory. Seems like it was a bit too dense overall, and I wonder if the recipe would benefit from a little more leavening to help with lift. My cakes aren’t really as dense as you are describing though. I’ll take down your notes, and appreciate your comment!
This cake was a hit at my granddaughter’s 2nd birthday party!! I received SO many compliments. I followed the recipe using the weight measurements (grams, ml’s) for more precision. I made the Swiss meringue buttercream frosting instead but could have really made more…maybe another half of that recipe for 2 – 9” rounds. The frosting was SO amazing!! Thank you for all you do for us bakers!!
Quite disappointing. It’s a heavy, oily, and mushy cake.
Quite disappointing. It’s a heavy, oily, and mushy cake.
I found the same, very heavy and oily and overly sweet from the icing.
Delicious! I have made this cake for my son’s first and second birthday. The recent changes to the recipe made it easier and it’s still excellent. Love it!
Hi Sally, I’ve made this recipe twice (before changing to oil). My husband loves this cake for his birthday! It is that time of year again, I was wondering if I could use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
Hi Kelly, For best taste, we recommend using a more neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil.
Hi Sally’s Baking Blog! Wondering if it’s okay to sub out the cream in the frosting for 2% milk?
Hi Sarah, the frosting may be a bit thinner with 2% milk. Heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk would be best but 2% will work in a pinch!
I love this recipe and want to use it for my son’s first birthday cake but the cake I want to make him will be two, two-layer square tiers (to look like his favorite toy car, pray for me that I pull it off).
I was thinking I’d bake two 9×13 cakes to cut/stack. Is there enough batter in this recipe for that? Or should I do the sheet pan one and double it (does that recipe make a cake strong enough for layering/stacking?)?
Thanks!
Hi Michele, see the recipe notes for converting this recipe into different size pans. This recipe is perfect for a sheet pan.
This recipe turned out amazing. Only thing I changed was instead of 3 tsps of vanilla I did 2 and 1 tsp Almond, in both the cake and the frosting.