The Absolutely Fun-fetti Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake (2 layers)

* 5tbsp Unsalted Butter at room temperature

* 1 + 1/2cups Granulated Sugar

* 1/2cup Vegetable Oil

* 2tsp Vanilla Extract

* 2cups + 1tbsp All Purpose Flour 

* 2 + 1/4tsp Baking Powder

* 1 + 1/4tsp Salt 

* 3/4cup Milk

* 5 Egg Whites, at room temperature 

* 2/3cup Birthday Sprinkles 

For the Buttercream Icing

* 2cups Unsalted Butter at room temperature 

* 1/4tsp Salt 

* 6cups Confectioners Sugar 

* 4-6tbsp Whipping Cream or heavy cream (cold)

* 2tsp Vanilla Extract 

Topping:

* 1/2-1cup of Sprinkles to add on to frosting

++ 2 Round or Square Cake tins

++ Mixing bowls, rubber spatula, piping bags and tips 

++ Stand mixer (preferably) if not an electric hand mixer

++ Cooking spray or extra butter to grease + parchment paper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350degrees F. Prepare 2 cake pans by greasing the bottom and sides, and then lining the bottom only with parchment paper, and then greasing the parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (with paddle attachment), beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add in sugar and oil and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, and add in vanilla, beating until just combined. 

3. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl, whisking with a hand whisk to remove any lumps. 

4. Add the flour mixture and the milk in alternating batches to the butter mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients, taking care to mix in one addition at a time (low speed only), scraping the bottom of the bowl and sides as needed. Start with dry (1/3), then milk (1/2), then dry (1/3) and so on. 

5. Beat the egg whites with an electric hand beater or the whisk attachment on stand mixer, until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg whites and sprinkles, half a batch at a time until the egg and sprinkles are folded in (use a rubber spatula to fold in). 

6. Evenly divide the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake at 350degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cakes are done when inserted toothpick comes out clean. Leave cakes to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes (in cake pan). Then invert cakes on to wire rack and leave to cool fully. 

7. To make the buttercream frosting, chill the bowl of the standmixer in the refrigerator together with the whisk attachment for 20-30 minutes. Once ready, beat the butter until creamy and fluffy. 

8. Then add in the confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with the 1/2tbsp - 1tbsp of the whipping cream. Beat on low to combine, and scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula in between to ensure any butter on the bottom is combined. Keep adding in all the sugar and beating until you reach the consistency you require. Add in the vanilla and salt and beat on high for 2 minutes, until the correct consistency is reached. 

9. To put the cake together place one of the cakes on your cake stand, and add a layer of frosting to the top. Then place the second layer on and add a layer of frosting to the top. Add a thin layer of frosting all around the cake, using a bench scraper or a frosting knife to scrape off excess frosting, and even it out. Place the cake in your freezer for 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. You are letting the outer layer harden a bit so that you can then add the 2nd layer of frosting over it. 

10. Take the cake out fo the refrigerator and then add 2nd layer of frosting, using a bench scraper or frosting knife to smoothen and even out tips and sides (or to add a design of your choice). Take a handful of sprinkles at a time, and gently add it to the cake sides with the open palm of your hand. 

Note: You can choose to add sprinkles to the top of the cake only, or to the sides as well. You will want to add the sprinkles while the icing is still wet from the 2nd layer of icing (or else the spronkles may not stick). 

11. You can transfer some icing to a piping bag and pipe some on with a design tip of your choice as well. 

12. Once done, place the cake in the refrigerator for an hour or two set, and let the icing chill. Best served after being left at room temperature for half hour. 

Enjoy!!!! 

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