Funfetti Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by greasing them with butter or oil, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter for thirty seconds. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Then mix in the vanilla extract.

Add one third of the dry ingredient mixture to the bowl. Stir to combine.

Add half of the buttermilk. Stir. Follow with another third of the dry ingredient mixture. Mix. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the remaining buttermilk, and mix to combine.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir.

Set the batter aside.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with clean beaters, until the egg whites reach stiff peaks, which can take 3 to 4 minutes. If you flip the bowl over, the whites shouldn’t slide off.

Once they achieve this stage, stop whipping.

Add one third of the whipped whites to the bowl. Fold gently.

Follow with another third of whipped whites. Fold.

Add the remaining whites and fold.

Finish by adding the sprinkles, then gently fold in them using a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Alternatively, you can divide the batter between six pans if you prefer thinner layers and want to skip slicing later. If using three pans, you can slice each cake in half once cooled to create a 6-layer cake. Or, keep them whole for a classic 3-layer cake.

If you don’t have six pans, it’s perfectly fine to let the remaining batter rest, covered, at room temperature while the first layers bake.

Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment, and allow them to cool completely before frosting.

If you are only making a 3-layer cake, see notes below. If you are making 6-layers, continue as below.

ln a large bowl, beat the butter for one minute. Add the cream cheese and beat for about 2–3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Add the powdered sugar gradually, about 1–2 cups at a time, mixing on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat until smooth.

Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and beat for another 1–2 minutes, until light, fluffy, and spreadable.

If needed, adjust the consistency: Add a bit more cream (1 tbsp at a time) for a softer frosting. Or add more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting.

Use immediately or store covered in the refrigerator. Before using, let it sit at room temperature and rewhip until smooth.

If you want the cake to be extra moist, make a simple syrup with equal parts sugar and water on the stove. Once the sugar dissolves, it's ready. This step is optional.

Once the cake layers have cooled completely, you can slice each layer in half horizontally if you baked three layers and want a 6-layer cake. Otherwise, keep them as is for a 3-layer cake.

Place one cake layer on your serving plate or cake board. Brush with simple syrup. Spread a layer of frosting on top, using an offset spatula. The frosting can be as thick as the cake layer or slightly thinner.

Top with another cake layer and repeat, stacking and frosting each layer until all layers are assembled.

Apply a thin crumb coat (a light layer of frosting all over the cake to trap crumbs). Smooth it out as evenly as possible, then refrigerate the cake for about 20–30 minutes until the frosting is set.

Remove the cake from the fridge and apply a thicker, final coat of frosting, smoothing the sides and top.

Press handfuls of sprinkles to the sides of the cake along the bottom.

Return the cake to the fridge for another 20–30 minutes to firm up.

Heat the heavy cream until hot. Pour over white chocolate in a bowl.

Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. If it’s not melting completely, place in the microwave for 5 to 10 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted.

Cool until slightly thickened but still pourable. It usually takes me about 15 minutes of cooling to achieve a nice pouring consistency.

If the ganache gets too thick, microwave for literally three to five second intervals, stirring in between.

Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip naturally down the sides. You can use an offset spatula or spoon to drag the ganache to the edges.

Place the cake back in the fridge for about 15–20 minutes to set the ganache.

Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 4B tip, and pipe swirls on top of the cake.

Finish with a generous sprinkle of funfetti sprinkles over the top.