Gluten-Free Funfetti Birthday Cake (Printer-Friendly)
Festive vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles and creamy frosting, gluten-free for celebrations.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon fine salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - ½ cup vegetable oil
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Add-ins
11 - ½ cup gluten-free rainbow sprinkles
→ Frosting
12 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2-3 tablespoons whole milk or dairy-free milk
15 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Extra gluten-free sprinkles for decorating
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat sugar, butter, and oil together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to wet ingredients, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Gently fold rainbow sprinkles into batter using a spatula.
07 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops with spatula.
08 - Bake for 28-32 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Mix in vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons milk. Add more milk if needed for spreading consistency.
11 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread generous layer of frosting on top. Position second layer and frost top and sides of cake.
12 - Decorate with extra sprinkles as desired. Slice and serve.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Everyone reaches for seconds without realizing its gluten-free
- The sprinkles create that confetti cake nostalgia we all secretly crave
- Buttercream stays perfectly spreadable even on warm days
02 -
- Overmixing gluten-free batter creates tough rubbery texture so stop as soon as flour streaks disappear
- Cooling cakes completely prevents the frosting from melting into sad puddles
- Nonpareil sprinkles will bleed color into your batter creating gray streaks instead of cheerful confetti
03 -
- Weighing flour instead of using cup measures prevents dense dry cakes from too much flour
- Room temperature ingredients create emulsified batter resulting in even texture