Spring Funfetti Cake Pastel (Printable Version)

Light vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles and soft pastel buttercream, perfect for bright spring celebrations.

# What You 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 - Pastel pink food coloring gel
18 - Pastel blue food coloring gel
19 - Pastel yellow food coloring gel
20 - Pastel purple food coloring gel

# How to Make:

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, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream until fully combined.
06 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three alternating parts with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold rainbow sprinkles into batter using a spatula.
08 - Divide batter evenly between 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 transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat butter until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
12 - Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated.
13 - Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
14 - Divide buttercream into 4 bowls. Tint each portion with a different pastel color using food coloring gel.
15 - Dollop or pipe colored buttercream onto cooled cake layers as desired. Swirl colors together to create a marbled pastel effect.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight bake but impressive enough to steal the show at any celebration.
  • The pastel buttercream trick means you can swirl colors however you like—there's no wrong way to decorate this.
  • Guests always ask for the recipe because it tastes like actual good cake, not just a novelty dessert.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—they emulsify properly and create silky batter that bakes evenly.
  • Don't open the oven door during baking because temperature fluctuations can cause your cakes to sink in the middle.
03 -
  • For cupcakes instead of layers, reduce baking time to 22 to 24 minutes and you'll get perfectly moist individual cakes that friends take home in boxes.
  • If you're short on time, make the cake layers a day ahead and frost them the morning of your event—the flavors actually deepen overnight.
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