Spring Funfetti Cake Pastel (Printable version)

A light vanilla cake flecked with sprinkles and topped with colorful pastel buttercream.

# 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

# 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. Set aside.
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 until fully combined.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk and sour cream until blended.
06 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, alternating 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, until a toothpick inserted in 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 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 color using food coloring gel.
15 - Dollop or pipe colored buttercream onto cooled cake layers. Swirl colors together for a marbled pastel effect.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sour cream in the batter keeps the cake impossibly tender and moist, a trick that makes even day-old slices taste fresh.
  • Those pastel buttercream colors are soft and whimsical without being over-the-top, perfect for spring celebrations or any time you want something that feels special.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they truly make the difference between a cake that's tender and one that's dense and disappointing, so take the time to let things sit on the counter.
  • Don't overmix once you've added the flour because that's when gluten develops and your cake becomes tough, mix just until you don't see streaks of flour and then stop.
03 -
  • Don't skip the cooling time in the pans—I learned this the hard way when I tried to turn out a warm cake and watched it collapse, that ten minutes is structural insurance.
  • If your buttercream seems too stiff after adding the powdered sugar, you can add milk one teaspoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency, but patience beats panic every time.
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