Rainbow Sprinkle Cake is a nostalgic homemade vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles in every bite! It's a simple snacking cake decorated with a tie-dyed vanilla buttercream.
Better than a box mix, this funfetti cake recipe is fluffy and easy to make with only about 30 minutes of prep time!
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Sprinkles make everything better, right? I like to add them to my sugar sprinkle cookies and edible funfetti cookie dough, and now this vanilla cake!
This recipe brings back childhood memories of eating cupcakes in elementary school. I always made funfetti cake, but it usually came from a mix. While delicious, I wanted to make my own version of a cake with sprinkles inside that's even better than the box! My sprinkle cake recipe is super easy and tastes amazing!
This sprinkle cake is extra moist and flavorful thanks to Lifeway's Rainbow Cake Lowfat Kefir! Lifeway Foods sponsored this recipe and is proudly dedicated to the promotion of mental health, inclusivity, and empathy. To show this, they've donated to The Trevor Project and created this vibrant, limited-edition flavor that represents inclusion and diversity!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Better than the store-bought box mix confetti cakes!
- The frosting is decorated with a super simple, unique, and beautiful technique!
- It's a hassle-free, easy sheet cake recipe made in one 8-inch square pan! You don't have to worry about crumb coats, chilling, and all the fuss that comes with decorating a layer cake.
- It's perfect for Pride and birthday celebrations and simple enough to make mid-week for a sweet treat just because.
- It's so fun and colorful with rainbow sprinkles and frosting!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Rainbow Sprinkle Cake:
Ingredient Notes:
- Baking powder and baking soda make the cake very light and fluffy.
- Vegetable oil keeps the cake from getting dry.
- Vanilla extract is the main flavoring in this cake. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Lifeway Rainbow Cake Lowfat Kefir adds delicious rainbow cake flavor and keeps the cake very moist.
- Rainbow sprinkles are the star of this funfetti recipe! They're used in the batter and can be sprinkled over the vanilla American buttercream to decorate the cake!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
What Kind of Sprinkles to Use
Use sprinkles that will hold their colors instead of bleeding into the cake batter. I recommend using sprinkles like jimmies (the long cylindrical sprinkles) or quins (the flat circles).
Nonpareils (the tiny spherical sprinkles) can bleed easily and are not recommended.
Naturally dyed sprinkles are beautiful, but may fade when mixed into the batter and baked.
Substitutions & Variations
- Divide the cake batter and dye it different colors, then pour them into the pan for a multi-colored rainbow cake. You can also use the same technique on the frosting, like in my rainbow macarons!
- The Lifeway Rainbow Cake Lowfat Kefir is a limited edition flavor, so if you aren't able to get your hands on it, feel free to use Lifeway Plain Kefir or regular buttermilk instead!
- Substitute cream cheese frosting for the vanilla buttercream.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How to Make a Rainbow Sprinkle Cake
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, egg, and kefir.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until there are a few flour streaks left, then stir in the hot water. Fold in the sprinkles until just combined.
Step 4: Pour the sprinkle cake batter into a greased and parchment-lined 8x8 inch pan. Bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean (around 40 minutes).
Step 5: While the cake cools, make the buttercream. Mix together the room temperature butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. You'll likely need a splash of milk or cream to reach the best consistency!
Step 6: Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. To give it a rainbow tie-dye look, follow the directions below! Top with rainbow sprinkles, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Rainbow Tie-Dye Frosting
Giving your cake this unique, beautiful tie-dye look is really simple! Grab your favorite colored food dyes (I used gel food coloring) and dab a few tiny drops around the white frosting. Then, use a knife or spatula to spread the colors around in short swoops!
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't overmix the batter to ensure it comes out light and fluffy.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This helps them combine more easily to avoid overmixing.
- Weigh your flour in grams using a food scale instead of scooping it into measuring cups for the best accuracy.
Common Questions
Jimmies and quins work well because they don't bleed into the batter and are easy to find in your grocery store's baking aisle.
Vanilla is the main flavor in a funfetti cake.
Absolutely! Just make sure to check the doneness regularly as the cupcakes should bake quicker than the cake.
Storage
Room Temperature
This rainbow sprinkle cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator
Refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Store cooled, frosted or unfrosted cake in the freezer for up to 1 month. The frosting can also be frozen during this time. Defrost at room temperature, then top with buttercream and sprinkles!
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @brokenovenbaking and @lifewaykefir on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Easy Rainbow Sprinkle Cake with Vanilla Frosting
Equipment
- 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
Rainbow Sprinkle Cake
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour weighed in grams or spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) Lifeway Rainbow Cake Lowfat Kefir* room temperature
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) hot water
- ⅓ cup (53.33 g) rainbow sprinkles jimmies or quins
Vanilla Buttercream
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream more/less depending on consistency preference
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, egg, and kefir.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a few flour streaks remain. Then, mix in the hot water just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle shelf until a toothpick comes out of the center clean (about 35-45 minutes).
- Let the cake cool in the pan, then lift it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by mixing together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. To create a colorful tie-dye effect, place tiny drops of food coloring around the frosting and swoop it around with a knife or spatula. Top with sprinkles, slice, and enjoy!
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Ana says
Excellent cake with great texture! I created a red, white, and blue version of this cake and it turned out so well! Works great with regular kefir too!