Gluten Free Funfetti Birthday Cake

If you have a sweet tooth, then this cakes for you! This gluten free funfetti cake is a soft, fluffy gluten free vanilla cake packed full of colorful sprinkles that is layered and decorated with smooth vanilla buttercream frosting. Making it such a fun party or birthday cake.

I love adding to my gluten free cakes collection and don't know why it took me so long to add this gluten free funfetti cake, also known as a confetti cake, as it makes such a colorful gluten-free birthday cake that the kids will love!

I love the simplicity of vanilla cake's, but this is no simple vanilla cake as it is packed full of extra vanilla extract, and it will be such a surprise for your party guests when the cake is cut to reveal the colorful cake inside.

If you love vanilla cakes, then also see my gluten free Victoria sponge cake, gluten free vanilla cupcakes, and gluten free vanilla apple cake.

Recipe Development

I love the sweet flavor and the colorful look of a funfetti cake. In my opinion, it makes the perfect fun gluten free birthday cake. I adapted my gluten free strawberry cake recipe to make this gluten free funfetti cake.

I increased the ratios to make 3 cake layers and decreased the sugar slightly, as the sprinkles add additional sweetness to the cake. I increased the vanilla extract for a full gluten free vanilla cake base before adding the sprinkles.

I used vanilla buttercream that can be added to the cake as it is, or you can use a few drops of food coloring if desired to suit the party theme.

I used jimmie-style rainbow sprinkles, not smaller sprinkles known as nonpareils, as they will disintegrate during the baking process. Always check the ingredients to be sure that the sprinkles are gluten-free as some brands contain wheat.

I tested this gluten free funfetti cake recipe with a pre-made blend of gluten-free flour, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, and the Doves Farm Freee range plain flour. I omitted the xanthan gum when using Bob's red mill as it already contains it in the blend.

The fun part is decorating with additional sprinkles and piping on additional buttercream. You can decorate with any sprinkles (gluten-free of course!) as it won't matter on the decoration as they won't be baked.

📋 Ingredients Notes

• Butter - always use room temperature, good quaility butter. I recommend using unsalted butter to have better control over the salt content in your bakes. However, if you only have salted butter on hand, omit the extra salt from the recipe. Using room temperature butter for buttercream ensures a smoother, creamier texture, making a light and fluffy consistency, faster mixing, and a smooth finish, making it essential for achieving a perfect and easily spreadable buttercream frosting.
• Sugar - I used superfine sugar, also known as baker's sugar or caster sugar in the cake, and powdered sugar for the buttercream frosting.
• Eggs - always use room temperature eggs. Eggs provide structure and stability to the cake during baking, helping it hold its shape. They contribute moisture, which keeps the cake from being overly dry, and they add richness and flavor. 
• Gluten free all purpose flour - I tested this recipe with a pre-made blend of gluten-free flour, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, and the Doves Farm Freee range plain flour. I omitted the xanthan gum when using Bob's red mill as it already contains it in the blend.
• Baking powder - check that the baking powder is gluten free as some brands may contain gluten.
• Salt -Salt enhances the overall flavor of the cake and buttercream by balancing sweetness and highlighting the flavors.
• Vanilla extract - I added more vanilla extract than the usual cake would call for, making the flavor really shine, and it tastes just like birthday cake.
• Gluten free sprinkles - use jimmie-style rainbow sprinkles, not smaller sprinkles known as nonpareils, as they will disintegrate during the baking process. Always check the ingredients to be sure that the sprinkles are gluten free as some brands contain wheat.
• Cream - Heavy cream, also known as double cream is added to buttercream to improve its texture, making it smooth and creamy. 

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

⚡ Substitutions & Variations

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make a gluten free funfetti cake.

See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.

Step 1: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a medium-sized bowl and leave it aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or using a stand mixer, whip the sugar and butter together until they become smooth and fluffy. Scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure that it is all fully incorporated.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture until they are fully combined.

Step 3: Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer, on a lower speed mix until it's thoroughly incorporated.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, coat the sprinkles with 1 tablespoon of flour (This will help them keep their place in the cake batter and prevent them from sinking).

Tip: Creaming the butter and sugar will take around 3-5 minutes on high speed. It's ready when the mixture is pale in color, and it looks light and fluffy.

Step 5: Pour the sprinkles into the cake batter and fold them in gently until they are evenly combined.

Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes to let the batter rest. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.

Step 6: Divide the cake batter between the cake pans and spread it out evenly within the pan (weighing each pan can ensure that the cake batter has been evenly distributed).

Step 7: Place the cake pans in the oven and bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes. Insert a skewer into a cake after this time. If it comes out clean it's ready, if not, leave it in slightly longer. Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool.

Step 8: Wait until the cakes have fully cooled before assembling. If your cake happens to have prominent domes, you can use a serrated knife to trim them down, ensuring a flat top. However, in the case of these cakes, there's typically no significant dome, or it requires minimal to no leveling.

See recipe card below for buttercream recipe.

Tip: If you want to be accurate when dividing the cake batter you can use a digital scale and weigh each cake pan until they have an even amount of the cake batter.

Step 9: Position the first layer of cake on your cake stand or plate, and evenly spread about a quarter of the frosting layer. Next, delicately place the second cake and add another quarter of frosting.

Step 10: Add the final cake layer to the top and use a little buttercream all over the cake to add a thin crumb coat. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up slightly.

Step 11: Add the remaining buttercream to the cake and spread evenly with an offset spatula. If you kept some buttercream aside for piping, add this to a piping bag with your preferred nozzle, then pipe on top of the cake.

Step 12: Finish by decorating with the sprinkles.