Strawberry Funfetti Cake With Buttercream

The moment I pulled this cake from the oven, my kitchen smelled like strawberries and birthday parties all at once. My niece walked in, spotted the rainbow speckles through the oven door window, and actually gasped loud enough to startle the cat. Sometimes food is just pure, unadulterated joy.

I made this for my best friend's 30th birthday, and halfway through slicing it, we realized nobody had remembered to candles. We stuck a single tapered dinner candle in the center instead, and somehow that imperfect moment made the whole night more memorable than anything planned could have been.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: The structural backbone of this cake, measure it by spooning into your cup and leveling off for accuracy
• Baking powder: This is what gives you those tender, tall layers that don't collapse under all that buttercream
• Salt: Just a pinch wakes up all the flavors and keeps the cake from tasting flat or overly sweet
• Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter is non negotiable here, it should yield to gentle finger pressure but not feel greasy
• Granulated sugar: Cream this thoroughly with the butter, those tiny air pockets are what make your cake light
• Large eggs: Also at room temperature so they emulsify properly instead of curdling your batter
• Whole milk: Full fat makes a difference in texture and helps carry the strawberry flavor throughout
• Fresh strawberries: Finely chopped so they distribute evenly and bake into the crumb without creating soggy pockets
• Pure vanilla extract: Don't skimp here, vanilla bridges the gap between strawberries and butter
• Rainbow sprinkles: Use jimmies not nonpareils, and fold them in gently at the end to prevent color bleeding
• Powdered sugar: Sift it first or your buttercream will have stubborn lumps that no amount of beating can fix
• Strawberry puree: Blend fresh berries and strain out the seeds for the silkiest frosting possible

Instructions

Prep your pans:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.

Cream butter and sugar:

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla:

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.

Combine wet and dry:

With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.

Fold in the fun stuff:

Gently fold in the chopped strawberries, then the sprinkles, being careful not to over-mix so the colors do not bleed.

Bake the layers:

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely:

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.

Make the buttercream:

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.

Assemble and frost:

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.

Finish with sprinkles:

Decorate with extra sprinkles if desired. Slice and serve.

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My neighbor texted me the next day asking if I'd accidentally dropped a slice on her porch because her kids found a stray sprinkled clump in the yard and wouldn't stop talking about the pink cake. I brought over the remaining quarter of the cake and watched three children and two grown adults fight over the corner piece with the most frosting.

Making Strawberry Puree

Blend about a cup of fresh strawberries until completely smooth, then push through a fine mesh sieve to catch all those tiny seeds. The resulting puree should be thick and intensely flavored, not watery, which keeps your buttercream stable and perfectly spreadable.

Getting That Bakery Look

Apply a thin crumb coat first and refrigerate for 15 minutes before adding the final layer of frosting. This trick locks in any loose crumbs and gives you that professional, clean finish that makes people think you bought it from a fancy bakery instead of mixing it in your pajamas.

Make Ahead Tips

The cake layers freeze beautifully wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to a month. The buttercream can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to a month, just bring it to room temperature and rewhip before using.

• Wrap cooled cake layers separately while still slightly warm to lock in moisture
• Thaw frozen layers overnight in the refrigerator before frosting
• Bring everything to room temperature before assembling for the smoothest application

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Life needs more cakes that look like confetti and taste like sunshine. This one delivers both.

Recipe Q&A Section

→ Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Yes, frozen strawberries work well. Thaw them completely and drain excess liquid before chopping to prevent the batter from becoming too watery. Pat them dry with paper towels for best results.

→ How should I store this cake?

Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage (up to 4 days), refrigerate it. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.

→ Can I make this as cupcakes?

Absolutely. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Frost with the same strawberry buttercream once cooled completely.

→ Why did my sprinkles bleed into the batter?

Over-mixing after adding sprinkles can cause colors to bleed. Gently fold them in just until distributed, and avoid using nonpareil sprinkles which tend to bleed more than jimmies-type sprinkles.

→ How can I intensify the strawberry flavor?

Add natural strawberry extract to either the cake batter or buttercream. You can also reduce the strawberry puree slightly on the stove before adding it to the frosting for a more concentrated strawberry taste.

→ Can I make the layers ahead of time?

Yes. Wrap cooled cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting. The buttercream can also be made 1–2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.