Spring Funfetti Cake Pastel (Printable)

Light vanilla cake with colorful sprinkles and whimsical pastel buttercream for spring festivities.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
11 - 2/3 cup rainbow sprinkles

→ Pastel Buttercream

12 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup whole milk
15 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Food coloring gels in pastel pink, blue, yellow, and purple

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream until combined.
06 - Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
07 - Gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles with a spatula until evenly distributed.
08 - Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat butter until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
12 - Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
13 - Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
14 - Divide buttercream into 4 bowls and tint each with a different pastel food gel color.
15 - Dollop or pipe colored buttercream onto cooled cake layers and swirl colors together for a marbled pastel effect.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sprinkles stay vibrant and don't bleed into the crumb like cheaper brands, so your cake actually looks as cheerful as it tastes.
  • Sour cream makes the crumb impossibly tender without any heaviness, perfect for a dessert that feels light enough for warm weather.
  • The pastel buttercream requires only gel colors and patience, giving you Instagram-worthy marbling without any special equipment or fussy techniques.
02 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients are the difference between a light, fluffy cake and one that's dense and heavy; take the extra 30 minutes to let everything sit on the counter.
  • Quality jimmies are worth every penny because cheap sprinkles bleed food coloring into the batter and turn it an unappetizing gray, ruining the whole aesthetic.
03 -
  • If your buttercream is too stiff to pipe, add milk one teaspoon at a time; too soft, beat it for another minute or chill it briefly.
  • For cupcakes, reduce the baking time to 22 to 24 minutes and watch them carefully so they don't overbake and dry out.
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