Funfetti Layer Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting

I made you a cake.  Actually, I made it last year and when going through my pictures realized that I never posted it, but that’s beside the point.  I made you a cake, because I am awful and haven’t updated for almost two months.  But, I have a really good excuse.  I have three of them, in fact!  I will even let you choose your favorite.

1.  I was on a really important vampire hunting mission in Sunnydale with the Scooby Gang.

2.  I was running from dinosaurs with Jeff Goldblum.

3.  I was traveling with The Doctor.

Ahhh…I feel so much better now that I’ve put my long absence in context.  Really, I’ve missed you all and am very happy to be back.  My life is not the same without blogging.  Granted, I didn’t really miss taking pictures of everything I cook.  It was sort of freeing to cook something and not worry about plating it and getting it positioned in perfect lighting.  But then I’d finish eating it and think, No one will know about this fantastic meal.

I’m not about that life.

I made this cake for a friend’s birthday and was beyond thrilled with how it turned out.  First of all, you can’t go wrong with funfetti.  Really.  If you’re making a dessert and you go, hmmm…should I make something funfetti?  The answer is yes.  Always.  Funfetti is just so much fun.  It’s colorful and playful and justifies you buying wwwayyy too many sprinkles at the grocery store.  It’s also a Sweetapolita recipe, which means you have TWO things going for you.  If I haven’t convinced you to make this cake yet, I don’t know what else to say.

Funfetti Layer Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

For the Cake

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

1 whole egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2-3/4 cups cake flour, sifted

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes

1/2 cup sprinkles

For the Frosting:

3 sticks + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

sprinkles

Directions

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease, line with parchment, butter and flour two round 8-inch pans.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, vanilla and the almond extract.  In a separate bowl,

 combine the dry ingredients, including the sugar, and mix together with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.

Add the butter and continue blending on low speed for about 30 seconds, then add remaining 3/4 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1-1/2 minutes.  Add the egg and milk mixture in 3 separate batches, beating on medium for 20 seconds after each addition. Stir in the sprinkles gently.

Divide the batter between the two cake pans.  Smooth the tops with an offset spatula.  Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted into the center. You don’t want to over bake this, so start checking for doneness around 20 minutes.  Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and inverting onto greased wire racks.

For the Frosting:

In a mixing bowl, whip the butter for 8 minutes on medium, or until the butter becomes pale and creamy.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium for 6 minutes. The frosting will be light and creamy.

Assembly of the Cake:

Put a heaping scoop of frosting on top of the first cake layer and spread evenly.  Finish with a sprinkling of your sprinkles.  Place the second cake layer on top and put another heaping scoop of frosting on top of that layer.  Spread it over the cake, gently beginning to spread it down over the sides of the cake.  Frost the rest of the cake in a thin layer of frosting and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Remove the cake from the refrigerator after and finish with a last layer of frosting.  Finally, get those sprinkles out and go to town!

Source:  Sweetapolita