Strawberry Funfetti Cake Buttercream (Printable)
Colorful strawberry-infused cake dotted with rainbow sprinkles, topped with luscious strawberry buttercream frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Strawberry Funfetti Cake
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
08 - ⅔ cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
09 - 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
10 - ½ cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies-type)
→ For the Strawberry Buttercream
11 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - ¼ cup strawberry puree (blended and strained fresh strawberries)
14 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
15 - Pinch of salt
16 - 1–2 tbsp milk or cream (if needed, for consistency)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Gently fold in the chopped strawberries, then the sprinkles, being careful not to over-mix to prevent colors from bleeding.
07 - Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.
09 - Beat butter on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low. Add the strawberry puree, vanilla, salt, and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add milk a tablespoon at a time if frosting is too thick.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with a layer of strawberry buttercream. Top with second cake layer and frost the top and sides with remaining buttercream.
11 - Decorate with extra sprinkles if desired. Slice and serve.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The fresh strawberries keep everything incredibly moist while adding real fruit flavor instead of just artificial sweetness
- Something about the combination of pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles makes people instantly happy, regardless of age
02 -
- Over-mixing once the flour is added makes the cake tough, so stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks
- The type of sprinkles matters because the round nonpareils dissolve into strange little dots that look like bugs in the baked cake
03 -
- Freeze the chopped strawberries for 15 minutes before folding them into the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom
- Use gel food coloring in the frosting if you want a more vibrant pink that the strawberry puree alone does not provide