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Funfetti Birthday Cake Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 serving
Author Si Foster, A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1  15-16 oz Funfetti or other sprinkle box cake mix 
  • 1  3.4 oz box Instant Vanilla Pudding mix dry, not mixed up
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

for frosting:

  • 1   cup softened unsalted butter cut into tablespoons 
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 pinches of salt about ⅛ teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk cream or half and half

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set rack in middle of oven. Grease, line with parchment and lightly flour two-9 inch cake pans, set aside. 
  2. Place eggs, oil, water, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix for about 1 minute on medium speed. 
  3. Add cake mix and dry pudding mix to the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds, scraping down sides once.  Make sure all wet and dry ingredients are mixed well. Do not over mix. 
  4. Pour batter into each cake pan, distributing evenly.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
  6. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then loosen sides of cake from pan with butter knife and let cool on a rack. I set the top of the cake so it is resting on the rack to help eliminate the domed top. 
  7. Set cake in refrigerator or freezer to cool. 

While cake is cooling, prepare frosting:

  1. Place butter in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. Turn on medium speed and start mixing butter until the tablespoons of butter are broken down and smooth. 
  3. Turn mixer off, add 2 cups of powdered sugar to bowl. Mix on low until sugar is no longer visible. Turn mixer off again, scrape down sides. 
  4. Add remaining powdered sugar, salt, vanilla (and food coloring if using)  to bowl. Mix on low until sugar is incorporated and no longer visible.
  5. Add milk or cream while mixing on low.
  6. When all ingredients are in bowl, turn mixer to high and mix for about 2 minutes. Stop and scrape down sides a couple of times and then resume beating frosting. 
  7. Add more milk if needed to spreading consistency.
  8. When cake is completely cooled, place on stand or plate. Frost bottom layer with about 1 cup of frosting, then add top layer of cake (I usually turn this layer upside down) so the top of the cake is facing the base layer, or dome side down. I rarely cut my cake to make it even! 
  9. Frost the sides then top of the cake. Immediately top with any sprinkles or cake topper and refrigerate to set or serve immediately. 

Recipe Notes

  • This recipe can be made to accommodate any flavor of box cake mix. You may also use chocolate pudding when making a chocolate cake or lemon pudding when making lemon cake. 
  • I use 9 inch cake pans for this recipe, you may also use three 8 inch rounds and split the batter evenly. the bake time will be less, usually around 15-18 minutes for three 8 inch rounds. 
  • If you'd like to pipe on the frosting, I suggest increasing the amount of frosting by another 1/2 to double the amount in this recipe so you will have plenty for piping.