Gluten-Free Confetti Cake Recipe makes a perfect birthday cake. The delicate yellow cake only requires one bowl to make. Then you stir in your favorite gluten-free sprinkles. It’s perfect for beginner bakers. Frost the cake with gluten-free vanilla buttercream frosting－and more sprinkles, of course!
It’s no surprise that I love a confetti cake. I mean, it has sprinkles. And I LOVE sprinkles. Honestly, if you don’t love sprinkles, we can’t be friends. (Kidding. Mostly.)
The recipe is quick to put together. It makes a perfect two-layer cake —which makes it great for birthday parties or other celebrations. Just be sure to have lots of gluten-free sprinkles on hand.
Is Confetti Cake the same as Funfetti Cake?
If you aren’t familiar with Funfetti®, I’m about to make your day! Funfetti® is white cake with sprinkles. Lots of sprinkles. Pillsbury is the creator of the Funfetti® phenomenon. They introduced it in 1989. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Funfetti® is their brand name for a confetti cake. A confetti cake is the homemade version.
What’s the Best Gluten-Free Flour to Use for Confetti Cake?
For this recipe, use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Without it, the cake turns out flat and dense.
I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. If your flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon to the recipe.
What Flavor is Confetti Cake?
There’s a lot of debate around this. I believe that the unique flavor comes from a combination of clear vanilla extract and a dash of almond extract.
It’s funny that I call for clear vanilla extract. If you’re familiar with vanilla, you know that clear vanilla is artificial vanilla. And that’s the point.
Boxed Funfetti® cake mix, the type you probably grew up eating, includes artificial vanilla. If that’s the flavor you crave, grab a bottle. It makes a difference! I’d use clear vanilla extract in my frosting too, for the full effect.
As for the almond extract, it adds an almost maraschino cherry flavor. (If you’re just realizing that maraschino cherries taste like almonds, raise your hand.) The almond extract isn’t required. Feel free to skip it if you don’t want to buy a bottle.
How to Make Gluten-Free Confetti Cake
- Prepare the Batter. This is an easy one-bowl recipe. Whisk together the dry ingredients, add the eggs, oil, and flavors. Stir. Done!
- Add the sprinkles. Be sure to use gluten-free sprinkles.
- Pour batter into greased cake pans.
- Bake until golden brown. A cake tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Cool the cake. It’s important to wait for the cake to cool. This is key. If you frost a warm cake, the frosting melts and drips down the cake. Remember: wait for the cake to cool.
- Frost. Use your favorite gluten-free frosting.
Are Sprinkles Gluten-Free?
It depends. Most sprinkles (also called Jimmies) are gluten-free. However, always read labels.
What Kind of Sprinkles Should I Use for Confetti Cake?
Good question! There’s lots of sprinkles on the market. For funfetti cake, I use “sprinkles”, they are also labeled jimmies. Don’t confuse these with nonpareils. “Sprinkles” are long and soft. Nonpareils are tiny, hard sugar balls. In batter, nonpareils tend to melt and bleed color, while sprinkles don’t–giving you nice bursts of color throughout the finished cake.
What Frosting Should I Use?
Classic vanilla buttercream frosting is traditional. But chocolate and cream cheese also make nice frostings for confetti cake.
Gluten-Free Confetti Cake
Easy gluten-free confetti cake. Loaded with sprinkles, this tender cake makes a fun birthday cake®－no mix needed!
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Funfetti Cake
- 2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (see note) (11 ½ ounces; 326 grams)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (10 ½ ounces; 298 grams
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk, traditional or dairy-free
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (4 ¾ ounces; 134 grams)
- 4 large eggs (about 8 ounces; 226 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure vanilla or clear (imitation)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
- ⅓ cup gluten-free sprinkles, plus additional for topping cake
Gluten-Free Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup butter, softened (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (16 ounces; 454 grams)
- 4 tablespoons milk, more as needed (2 ounces; 56 grams)
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
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Whisk together gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil, eggs, and extracts. Whisk until a smooth batter forms. Add ⅓ cup sprinkles. Stir to combine.
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Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
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Bake until cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
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Remove cakes from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes. Then turn cakes onto the wire rack to cool completely.
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Once cool, frost with vanilla buttercream (recipe below) and sprinkle additional sprinkles onto cake.
Gluten-Free Vanilla Buttercream
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Cream butter until smooth in a medium mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix, on low speed, until smooth. If buttercream seems thick, add a teaspoon or so additional milk. Use as directed.
Recipe Notes
Gluten-Free Flour
Use a gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour recommended. If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon along with the flour. Whisk together.
Kirsty says
Hi came across your recipe I have only got two 12 inch cake tins. Do I need to double the recipe for the 12 inch cake tins.
Thanks
Elizabeth says
A 12-inch cake pan is really big. By volume, it takes 7 1/2 cups of batter. An 8-inch pan only uses 3 cups. So, yes, you can double it but the cake will be short.
Catherine Tran says
Moist, tender crumb, and absolutely scrumptious! Baked this today for my birthday. I skipped dinner and went straight to dessert. Yum and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me!
Didn’t have vegetable oil so I subbed 4oz applesauce, 8oz heavy whipping cream (whipped), and remainder of liquid portion (oil + milk) by weight with almond milk. Also, had to use up cream cheese so made a cream cheese frosting.
So pleased! Will be making this again for sure! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Nancy says
This cake and the icing are easy to make, and delicious! My family loves it. The second time I made it, I used Splenda for the icing, instead of sugar, with no problem. I’m thinking of substituting Splenda for maybe a third or half of the sugar in the cake. Do you think that will still work, texture-wise? Thanks.
Elizabeth says
I’m not sure, to be honest. If you try it use Splenda for Baking. Several readers have had good luck with it.
ardea tamraz says
can you decorate with fondant icing
Elizabeth says
Yes! As always, read labels to ensure your rolled fondant is gluten-free. Enjoy!
RF says
A blast from the past as delicious as the original.
Aryn Legueri says
This recipe is amazing! I followed your recipe exactly and it came out perfect! I can’t wait to make this for my friends gluten free wedding.
Jen says
Hi there,
I think there is an error in your recipe for buttercream frosting. 170 g of powdered sugar is not nearly enough. It should be more like 454 g. I learned this the hard way.
Elizabeth says
You’re right. Sorry for the typo. The recipe has been updated.
Natalie Gooding says
Is there a way to make this or some white cake gluten free and egg free? My son is allergic to eggs.
Elizabeth says
I’m still working on a gluten-free and egg-free vanilla cake. I’m sorry to say that I don’t have one right now.
Tiffany Daumueller says
This recipe was a huge hit for the family. I am so grateful you took time to make and publish it. It was fluffy, delicious and perfect. It didn’t have the typical “gluten free” texture to it at all and everyone enjoyed it, celiac or not. We will definitely be making this again.
Thanks!
Elizabeth says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Kate Karagueuzian says
I’ve made this cake successfully and my family loved it. Any reason I can’t use this recipe for cupcakes (as opposed to your more intensive funfetti cupcake recipe)? Thank you!
Elizabeth says
Nope! You can use this one. The other recipe is an older recipe and perfect for folks who want to blend their own flours.
Mimi says
Hi,
Just wondering if I can make sponge in advance and freeze it?
Elizabeth says
Absolutely! Just be sure to allow the cake to cool before freezing.
Maddie says
Can i substitute buttermilk for the milk?
Elizabeth says
That should work. However, since the buttermilk adds an acid, it might rise a bit differently.
C says
This cake was genuinely disgusting.
I followed it to the T and our family either disliked the taste or it made their tummy upset. Too sweet and sickly. Also the batter came out like flat pancakes.. not fluffy despite using the recommended bob’s red mill gluten free flour WITH xanthan gym. Never again.
Elizabeth says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the cake.
If it came out flat as a pancake, my guess would be it didn’t rise. This can happen when the baking powder is old (sometimes even cans sold in the store are close to their expiration date) or, and this happens to us all, it was mis-measured or omitted all together.
Nicole says
Can you use 9” round cake pans? Plan on making this tomorrow!
Elizabeth says
Yes! The cakes won’t be as high but the recipe will work. Have fun!
Kimberly says
What can I use in place of Vegetable Oil?
Elizabeth says
You can use any oil that works for you. Canola, corn, soy, etc.
I hope this helps!
Eleni says
Hello I’m super new to the gluten free diet. My almost 3 year old daughter was diagnosed recently. I came across your website and noticed that you say we need to read labels for the sprinkles for example. Can you please tell me what an ingredient would be in the sprinkles that we should avoid?! I can’t wait to make this recipe. TIA
Elizabeth says
Sure! The one ingredient I’d look for is wheat. Some sprinkles, usually hard balls (aka pearls) contain them. So it’s always a good idea to just double-check.
Linda says
This truly is the best gluten-free funfetti cake! Maybe even best funfetti cake all around!!? I followed the recipe exactly (including almond extract), and it is perfect – no adjustments needed. Well… I did deviate a little… instead of two 8 inch pans, I used ONE cheesecake springform pans (approx. 9 inches in diameter). I baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turned off the oven, and let it sit there another 20 minutes so that it baked all the way through since this is thicker than two smaller cakes. I ran a tooth pick through it, and it came out clean! Perfecto! Will be frosting this baby tomorrow.
Elizabeth says
Yay!!!
Jordan says
any recommendations to accommodate to high altitude?
Elizabeth says
Hi Jordan,
I wish I had lived experienced with high-altitude baking so I could give you specific tips. However, I live at sea level. The best I can do is pass along good information from a trusted source. King Arthur has a great guide: King Arthur High Altitude baking tips
I hope that helps!
Carmen says
I enjoyed the gluten free so much!!!! But can I follow the same recipe using regular all purpose flour?
Elizabeth says
To be honest, no one has ever asked me that! I think it should work but I haven’t tried the recipe with wheat flour!
Deanna says
I used this yesterday to make cupcakes for my son’s 14th birthday, he’s celiac. This is the absolute best gluten-free cake batter recipe I’ve found to date. I baked the 24 cupcakes at 350 degrees for approximately 17-18 minutes and they came out perfectly cooked moist and so delicious. Thank you so much, Elizabeth!!