This Homemade Confetti Sheet Cake is a super fun bake for any occasion. Absolutely perfect for birthdays or to feed a crowd. The cake recipe is made in one bowl, with everything coming together for a gorgeously fluffy cake. Stir through sprinkles before baking and top with a thick layer of buttercream for the ultimate birthday cake!
The base of this cake is a vanilla sponge. It’s light and moist, and comes with a generous serving of sprinkles throughout for that really fun Funfetti look! The frosting gets whipped up once the cake has cooled. You have total freedom on how you want to decorate the cake, so a great one to make with the family!
Tips for making a really great vanilla cake
Making a truly exceptional vanilla cake involves a blend of technique, ingredients, and attention to detail. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, these tips will help you create a vanilla cake that’s moist, flavorful, and utterly delicious.
- Quality Ingredients: Begin with high-quality ingredients. Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for authentic flavor. Fresh eggs, good quality butter, and all-purpose flour ensure a rich and tender crumb.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your eggs, butter, and any dairy ingredients to come to room temperature before mixing. Room temperature ingredients blend more easily, resulting in a smoother batter and better incorporation of flavors.
- Proper Mixing Technique: Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the batter, creating a lighter texture. Be cautious not to overmix once you add the dry ingredients, as this can lead to a dense cake.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together to remove any lumps and aerate the mixture. This ensures even distribution and a uniform texture in the final cake.
- Buttermilk or Cream: Adding buttermilk or cream to the batter enhances moisture and tenderness. These ingredients also react with the leavening agents to create a softer crumb.
- Don’t Overbake: Keep a close eye on your cake as it bakes. Overbaking can result in a dry cake. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s ready.
- Frosting Technique: When frosting your cake, use an offset spatula for smooth, even layers.
- Let it Rest: Allow your fully assembled cake to rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together and the frosting to set, resulting in a more cohesive and flavorful dessert experience.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a vanilla cake that’s moist, flavorful, and sure to impress any crowd.
Ingredients Required
There are no specialist ingredients or equipment required for this bake. I can find everything I need at my local supermarket or grocery store. To line a rectangle baking tin, cut two pieces of baking paper that are just narrower than the width of the tin (less than 8 inches wide). Then place one on top of the other in opposite directions, so that all four edges of the tin are covered. This will make removing the bake so much easier!
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Free Range Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Plain (All Purpose) Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Heavy Cream (or Double Cream in the UK)
- Sprinkles
- Powdered Sugar
TIPS FOR A TOP TIER Homemade Confetti Sheet Cake
- Liquids: We got heavy on the liquid in this recipe. If it looks fairly runny compared to a sponge recipe, that’s good! This means the texture will come out light and moist.
- Sprinkles: Use any that you like. I use the standard funfetti sprinkles as the size of them means they really stand out after baking. Be aware, if you’re in the UK/EU, your sprinkles are unlikely to hold their color the same as US variations due to the artificial colorings used.
- Over mixing: Take care not to over mix the batter as this will cause the cake to become dense. Moist cakes only here at Tasting Thyme!
- Frosting: This recipe makes enough frosting to coat the 9×13″ cake with extra to decorate round the edges. Feel free to double up if you want to do more decoration or love that thick frosting layer.
- Decoration: Decorate however you like. When making the buttercream, adding a drop or two of purple food coloring can make your frosting that extra white color you see in bakeries. Scatter over some sprinkles of your choice for that final Instagrammable look!
Homemade Confetti Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 226 g Unsalted Butter Room Temperature
- 320 g Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 320 g All Purpose Flour (Plain Flour)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 110 ml Milk
- 110 ml Heavy Cream
- 150 g Rainbow Sprinkles (Long/strand ones are best)
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 226 g Unsalted Butter Room Temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 700 g Powdered Sugar
- Rainbow Sprinkles
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 175℃/350℉. Line a 9×13" rectangle baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar on high speed for a few minutes to really bring it together. Add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk again.
- Use a spatula/wooden spoon to fold in the flour, baking powder and baking soda until a cake batter comes together.
- Add the cream, milk and sprinkles and fold in to create a nice smooth batter. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool.
For the Frosting
- Once the cake is cool, make the frosting. Whisk the butter on high using an electric mixer. Add in half of the powdered sugar and the vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the remaining powdered sugar and whisk to create the frosting. Add a splash of milk to thin if necessary.
- Use a palette knife to spread the frosting over the cake. If decorating, place the remaining frosting into a piping bag with a flat nozzle to create the border (like in my photos). Finally, scatter over sprinkles before serving!
I make my Homemade Confetti Sheet Cake using a 9×13″ rectangular cake tin and recommend a high speed mixer for when combining the dry and wet ingredients (with a mixer like this). If you’re looking for other cake ideas check out this Chocolate Espresso Cake with Meringue Buttercream. Don’t forget to share your bakes with me on socials!
Storage/Make Ahead
This Homemade Confetti Sheet Cake can be made ahead of time really easily. Make your cake and wrap entirely in cling film/plastic wrap. Place the wrapped unfrosted cake in the fridge (3-5 days) or freezer (up to 3 months). Frost when ready to serve!
Once made, store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Place in an airtight container to prevent the frosting from drying up. You can also slice up the cake and wrap and freeze it as above. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
