Small Batch Funfetti Cake (Mini Layer Cake)
I’m a Cancer baby who loves to go to sprinkle town, but I don’t need a full-scale birthday cake every time. So I made a small batch Funfetti cake, and it’s completely delightful.
I’m gonna call it out upfront: this cake bakes up kinda ugly on the top. But that’s what frosting is for, okie doke?
Not to mention, the taste and tender texture more than make up for it. It’s soft and sweet, and the final look of the mini layer cake makes me feel extra special, even if I don’t need to feed a crowd.
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SMALL BATCH FUNFETTI CAKE
This cake bakes up in a loaf pan – which I find to be the perfect pan for many small-batch bakes. It has a vanilla cake base (packed with rainbow sprinkles!) and is layered with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting.
If you want to turn it into a tiered cake like the one pictured, make sure it’s completely cool before slicing!! You can also simply make it as a vanilla loaf pan cake and top with frosting (see the notes below the recipe about frosting quantity if you do this!).
How do you turn a loaf cake into a tiered cake? Once the loaf cake is completely cooled, use a serrated knife to trim off any dome on top to make it flat. Then cut the cake in half horizontally, and then again vertically. You’ll be left with four squares to stack, with icing layered in between.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure so the cake slices and stacks beautifully.
- Cornstarch: Creates an extra tender, fluffy crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake while helping create a light, moist (yes!) texture.
- Baking powder & Baking soda: Gives the cake lift for a fluffy, even rise and a tender bite.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor.
- Butter: Adds rich buttery flavor and makes for a soft, tender cake and smooth frosting.
- Canola oil: Keeps the cake tender and soft for days.
- Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and stability.
- Whole milk: Adds moisture and creates a smooth batter.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and richness that keeps the cake incredibly soft.
- Vanilla extract: Classic flavor in both the cake and buttercream.
- Rainbow jimmies sprinkles: For the FUNfetti pop of color in the cake without bleeding.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the buttercream while keeping it smooth.
- Milk: Adjusts the buttercream to make it easier to spread and/or pipe.
What is the reverse creaming method? Instead of creaming the butter and sugar together, the reverse creaming method mixes the butter into the dry ingredients first. This coats the flour with fat, which limits gluten development once the wet ingredients are added, creating a soft cake with less dome that stays moist for days.
HOW TO MAKE A SMALL BATCH FUNFETTI CAKE
Prep your mini vanilla cake batter…
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the softened butter and beat with a hand mixer on low speed until the mixture resembles damp sand and no large butter pieces remain, about 1-2minutes.
Drizzle in the canola oil and mix for 20–30 seconds until evenly incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, whole milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract.
Add half of the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix on medium speed just until the liquid is absorbed. Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix only until no streaks remain, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Fold in the rainbow jimmies sprinkles with a spatula. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes so it thickens slightly, which helps keep the sprinkles suspended throughout the cake instead of sinking or collecting at the edges.
Bake your small-batch cake and prepare your vanilla frosting…
Give the batter one final fold, then transfer it to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake cools, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
Beat the room-temperature salted butter until smooth and creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until combined, then add the vanilla extract and milk and beat until smooth.
Assemble your mini layer cake…
Use a serrated knife to cut the cooled loaf in half vertically to create two rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half horizontally so you have four thin square layers, then stack them with a layer of vanilla buttercream between each layer before frosting and decorating the outside as desired.
3 reasons why you’ll love this small batch Funfetti cake
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Pay close attention to the temperature of the ingredients in the recipe. Softened or room-temperature ingredients are important for proper combining and preventing over-mixing!
- This recipe uses the reverse creaming method to yield a tender mini vanilla cake. Make sure to follow the directions completely!
- Rainbow jimmies sprinkles are best for baking, to prevent excessive bleeding and help the sprinkles keep their color in the cake once baked.
- Letting your batter rest before adding it to your loaf pan to bake gives it a few minutes to thicken. The thicker batter will help suspend the sprinkles, so you get more color throughout (and they’re less likely to fall to the bottom or float to the top).
- If you simply want to bake the cake and frost it as a loaf, halve the amount of frosting in the recipe. A tiered, decorated cake requires more frosting than a dollop and spread.
- Before assembling, make sure your cake is fully cooled for ease of cutting and frosting. If decorating fully, place your cake in the freezer for 10 minutes once you’ve applied the crumb coat.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
Your small batch funfetti cake should be wrapped airtight before storing. It will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If stored in the fridge, I recommend taking it out and slicing it 30-60 minutes before serving. This gives it time to soften and come back to room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
You can also slice your mini cake or leave it whole before freezing. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.
MORE SMALL BATCH DESSERT RECIPES
- Small Batch Vanilla Cheesecake
- Small Batch Oreo Cookies with Oreo Buttercream
- Small Batch Sugar Cookie Bars with Sprinkles
- Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Coffee Cake
- Small Batch Snickers Popcorn
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Loaf Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatulas
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Parchment Paper
- Mixer
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- 3 tbsp full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles
- 1 ½ cups salted butter room temperature
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3+ tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Add the softened butter and beat with a hand mixer on low until the mixture resembles damp sand and no large butter pieces remain, about 1-2 minutes
- Drizzle in the oil and mix for another 20–30 seconds until evenly combined
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract
- Add half of the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix on medium speed just until there’s no more loose liquid
- Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix only until no streaks remain. Avoid overmixing
- Fold in the rainbow jimmies with a spatula, then let the batter rest for 10 minutes so it thickens slightly and is able to hold more sprinkles in place once baked without them dropping or floating to the edges
- Give the batter one more gentle fold, then transfer it to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
- Once your cake is cooled, make your vanilla frosting. Add your room-temperature butter to a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth
- Sift in your powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add in your vanilla extract and milk. If you want your frosting looser, add half a tablespoon of milk at a time, mixing in between, until you get your preferred consistency
- To assemble your cake, use a serrated knife to cut the cooled loaf in half vertically so you have two rectangles. Then cut each rectangle in half horizontally, so you now have four thin squares. Place one on your cake plate and pipe or spread a layer of frosting before topping with another cake layer. Repeat until all layers have been stacked, then frost and decorate as desired!
