This strawberry funfetti cake is all kinds of fun! Just look at all those bright colors! With tender layers of gorgeous strawberry cake filled with rainbow sprinkles, frosted with vanilla funfetti buttercream, this cake is so bright and cheery – and tastes just as delicious as it looks. 🙂

Strawberry cake… but make it funfetti

For my strawberry cake, I’ve had lots of pretty tasty versions to choose from.

My chocolate dipped strawberry cake, my strawberry cheesecake cake, and my strawberry malt cake are definitely some favorites here on Baking with Blondie. You can find those by clicking the links or using the search bar.

I also have a strawberries and cream cake, chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes, lemon cupcakes with triple berry buttercream, my neapolitan cake, funfetti cookie dough cake, and my banana split cake in my Cake Confidence Second Edition Cookbook that are all proven favorites by YOU! This cookbook has so many other recipes I know you’ll love.

So to transform my strawberry cake into a NEW strawberry funfetti cake was pretty simple! I started with my strawberry cake base, and added in a few colorful sprinkles. You can use any rainbow sprinkles just from your local grocery store. I wouldn’t use nonpareils – those tend to bleed and make a soupy grey mess, haha.

Strawberry success

The strawberry cake flavor of course begins with my doctored cake mix recipe. I then added a bit of strawberry emulsion and freeze-dried strawberries to amp up the flavor. If you don’t have either of them, don’t sweat it. Just use the cake mix for the strawberry funfetti cake here.

Funfetti buttercream

This buttercream stems from my original vanilla buttercream recipe. All we did was add in a few of those colorful jimmies. I know using something as large as jimmies in your buttercream may bring a bit of a hard time smoothing out the buttercream. Why? Those little stinkers like to drag! It happens to me, too. The way I get around it is to do one of a couple things:

  • Don’t press the cake scraper down too hard on the cake sides.
  • If there’s a problems sprinkle – just pick it out and toss it.
  • If you’re using a metal cake scraper, heat it up with a little hot water, wipe it off, then scrape around the sides as usual. This usually makes the sides of the cake, including the jimmies, behave.

Sprinkles all around

For the sprinkles around the side of the cake, I used a sheet of parchment paper. Just cut a sheet about 6 inches tall, then wrap it around the freshly frosted cake (leave the bottom exposed – just enough for how much you’d like to see). Then gently add on the sprinkles on top and on the sides. Freeze, then peel away the parchment. This should make a nice even straight line between the sprinkles and exposed buttercream.

Dollop it on

For the cute little dollops on top, I knew I needed to use a pretty wide tip so that the sprinkles didn’t get stuck in the tip. I opted for the Wilton 1A circle tip.

To make the little dollops, think of making a Hershey Kiss shape – squeeze, then pull up while stopping the squeeze. It should make a pointed top in the shape you desire. If not, you can use an offset icing spatula and try again.

For the strawberries on top, I tried to find strawberries that were the same or similar size from the batch I received from the grocery store. I sliced them in half, and placed them sliced-side-up on each dollop; leaving the green leaves facing the center.

This is such a fun celebration cake – and even just a fun ANYDAY cake! I can’t wait to see you make it and enjoy it as much as we have!

As always, if you make a Baking with Blondie inspired cake or creation, I’d love to see it! Tag me @bakingwithblondie or #bakingwithblondie on INSTAGRAM so I can join in on all the baking fun.

Happy Baking!

xo,

Mandy

Get the Recipe: Strawberry Funfetti Cake

Strawberry cake filled with lots of sprinkles covered in a vanilla buttercream with you guessed it… more sprinkles! Top with fresh strawberries, and you have a burst of strawberry funfetti celebration in each and every slice.
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Ingredients
 

Strawberry Funfetti Cake

  • 3 whole eggs, room temperature
  • 1 egg white, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk , room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sour cream , room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons strawberry emulsion
  • 1/8 cup freeze dried strawberry powder, (freeze dried strawberries pulsed to a powder – the powder should fill up 1/8 cup)
  • 1 15.25 oz box Strawberry Cake Mix , I used Duncan Hines for the best taste and texture, but you can use any similar cake mix
  • 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles

Vanilla Funfetti Buttercream

  • 1 1/2 cup (or 3 sticks) unsalted butter, Left out at room temp for about 10 minutes
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (plus more if needed to thin out the buttercream)
  • 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar

Extras

  • 1 cup rainbow jimmies
  • sliced strawberries

Instructions
 

Strawberry Funfetti Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees convection bake (if using traditional bake oven settings, just leave the cake in the oven a little longer). Prep three 6" cake rounds (or two 8" cake rounds) with a wipe of shortening and dust of flour. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except for the cake mix and rainbow jimmies. Stir until all the ingredients have been fully incorporated. Sift in the cake mix and gently fold in the jimmies. Don't overmix! Split the batter evenly between the prepared cake rounds.
  • Bake for 25-27 minutes until the centers have baked through completely (don't overbake). Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan for 30 seconds, then flip the cake rounds out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Wrap the cake rounds up in plastic wrap and store in the freezer until you're ready to frost the cake.

Vanilla Funfetti Buttercream

  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up the butter until it's light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the salt, vanilla, and heavy cream. Whip up again until combined. Slowly add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until fully incorporated. It may be thick, so add in a Tablespoon of heavy cream if needed. Toss in the rainbow jimmies.
  • Turn the mixer to a HIGH speed and let the buttercream whip up to lighten texture and color, about 2 minutes.

Assembly

  • On a cake turntable, layer and crumb coat the cake on a cardboard cake round. Crumb coat, the freeze for 5 minutes.
  • Beat down the buttercream with a wooden spoon to get out any air bubbles and help make the buttercream more smooth.
  • Spread on a layer of buttercream, then use a cake scraper for smooth sides and edges. The jimmies will want to drag, so if they get in the way, you can use a more gentle touch with the cake scraper, or simply remove the sprinkle that is causing problems.
  • For the sprinkle border and top, use a sheet of parchment paper around the top half of the cake while the buttercream is still wet. Add the sprinkles to the bottom exposed half of the cake, and also on top. Freeze for 5 minutes, then carefully pull the parchment sheet off the cake.
  • Using a Wilton 1A piping tip, pipe dollops on top of the cake around the outside rim of the top. Carefully add on a few sliced strawberries. Enjoy!