Confetti Bundt Cake (Easy Sprinkle Cake for Every Celebration)
I firmly believe there’s no such thing as too many sprinkles...or too many Bundt pans. As someone who’s baked more Bundts than I can count (and even wrote a whole cookbook about them!), I can tell you my Confetti Bundt Cake is pure joy in dessert form. It’s buttery, speckled with rainbow sprinkles, and topped with a simple glaze. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, a big win, or just an ordinary Tuesday, this cake makes every occasion feel a little more special.
🥳 Why Confetti Bundt Cake Always Brings the Party
- It's bursting with fun, bright colors.
- Perfectly balanced flavor with a soft, fluffy, buttery crumb.
- This recipe consists of simple pantry ingredients. The most unique ingredients are buttermilk and cake flour, and I've offered substitutions for both in the "Ingredients" section, below.
- Moist texture that keeps beautifully for days.
- It's a perfect base for any celebration and is easy to adapt for holidays or themes (think red and green sprinkles for Christmas!)
- This recipe has been tested and perfected by an experienced Bundt baker (ahem, yours truly 👋🏻.)
💡Julie's Pro Tips for Baking a Beautiful Bundt (Every Time!)
- Don't overmix the batter: An overmixed batter will result in a denser cake texture. Add the dry ingredients on a lower speed, mixing just until blended. Gently fold in the egg whites so that they don't "deflate!"
- Use a lighter colored pan: If you have one, a lighter gray or even a copper/gold colored pan will help with even browning. Darker pans conduct heat faster and can result in overbrowning. If all you have is a dark gray or black pan, decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees to 325F.
- Don’t overfill the pan: Your pan should be ⅔ to ¾ full to allow the batter to rise without overflowing. Keep this in mind if you make mini Bundts (see Variations, below.)
- Use nonstick BAKING spray: I feel like I say this over and over, again....but it's worth repeating! Use a nonstick baking spray to coat your Bundt pan before adding the batter. This is my top tip for ensuring an easy release after baking and cooling.
Baking 101: How to "Fold"
To fold something into a batter (in this case, egg whites), use a spatula to gently cut down through the center of the mixture, then sweep across the bottom and up the side, turning the batter over on itself. Rotate the bowl slightly and repeat this motion until the add-ins are evenly incorporated. The Mix gently so you don’t deflate the batter or overmix.
Ingredients and Special Equipment
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for specific quantities.
Confetti Bundt Cake ingredients
- Cake flour: If you don't have cake flour on hand, make your own! For every cup of flour called for in the recipe, remove two tablespoons and replace them with cornstarch and sift the two together.
- Baking soda / baking powder: Leavening agents.
- Salt: For balancing flavor -- don't skip the salt!
- Butter: Brings classic vanilla Bundt cake richness. Use room temperature unsalted butter so that it blends easily with the other ingredients.
- Oil: I often use butter AND oil in my cake recipes to create a moist texture.
- Granulated sugar: This cake has a little less sugar in it because we add sprinkles and the sweet glaze.
- Eggs: The recipe calls for whole eggs and egg whites. Beating the egg whites adds an extra step, but the result is a fluffier cake texture.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own. For every cup called for, combine 15 tablespoons regular milk (1 cup minus 1 tablespoon) with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. You now have buttermilk!
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract whenever possible for true vanilla flavor.
- Sprinkles: Choose classic jimmies (cylindrical in shape) as opposed to non-pareils (little balls.) Jimmies hold color better and don’t melt into the batter
- White Chocolate Glaze (optional): If you glaze the cake, you will need white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate, half-and-half, and confectioner's sugar.
Recommended Special Equipment
- Minimum 10-cup Bundt pan: I've linked the one that I used for this recipe. It's the standard 12-cup pan that I use most often. If you use a 10-cup pan, the resulting Bundt will just be a bit taller.
- Nonstick baking spray: Baker's Joy, Pam for Baking, or a similar product are my top choices for ensuring those Bundts don't stick!
- Electric mixer and/or handheld electric mixer: If you have both, then use them for this recipe. The handheld mixer makes beating the egg whites easier so that you don't have to wipe out your mixer bowl and use it twice. But if you only have one or the other, make the batter in one bowl, clean the beaters, and beat the egg whites in a second bowl.
Step By Step Photos and Instructions
Step 1: Prepare your Bundt pan by spraying it with non-stick baking spray, including any crevices. Preheat your oven to 350F.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: In the bowl of an electric mixer beat sugar, butter, and oil at medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the whole eggs, one at at time, beating well after each addition. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary to make sure everything in getting blended. Beat in the vanilla.
Step 4: With the mixer on low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and the buttermilk, making three additions of the flour and two of the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated.
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Step 5: In a separate, clean bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy. Gradually increase to high speed and beat until firm peaks form.
Step 6: Use a spatula to carefully fold the egg whites into the batter in two additions (see "How to Fold" above.
Step 7: Gently mix in your sprinkles to avoid color bleeding.
Step 8: Transfer your batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
Steps 9 and 10: Bake the Bundt in the center of your preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester or a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 11: If you are using the optional glaze, prepare your glaze according to the instructions and then carefully pour it over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Step 12: Decorate the top of the cake with more sprinkles. Let the glaze set for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Variations for Year-Round Celebrating
- Give your Bundt a holiday twist!: Swap in red and green sprinkles for Christmas, blue and white for Hanukkah, red and pink for Valentine's Day, or pastel-colored sprinkles for Easter!
- Flavor variations: Add a few teaspoons of lemon or orange zest to the batter or a teaspoon of almond extract.
- Make mini Bundts: Divide the cake batter among mini Bundt pans (a.k.a. "Bundtlets"). Fill each about ⅔ full. Adjust the bake time for the smaller size, usually 20-30 minutes, depending on how small.
How to Store and Freeze Your Confetti Bundt Cake
- Room temperature: This cake stays moist for 3–4 days at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic or covered.
- Refrigerator: Store your baked and glazed cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just make sure that it is tightly wrapped so that it does not dry out!
- Freezer: Freeze your cake for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped in plastic and then foil for an extra layer of protection. You can also seal the wrapped cake in an extra large zip-top bag if you have one. Thaw the cake at room temperature overnight before glazing.
FAQs / Troubleshooting
Choose classic jimmies, which are cylindrical in shape as opposed to the non-pareils, which are little balls. Jimmies hold their color better and don’t melt into the batter.
Yes, use a trusted gluten-free flour blend. Substitute an equal amount of it for the flour listed in the recipe.
Proper preparation is key! Spray your Bundt pan with a non-stick baking spray, and use a pastry brush to make sure all of the crevices are coated. A non-stick baking spray contains flour, which mimics the traditional "grease and flour" method in a fraction of the time!
More Bundt Cake Recipes You'll Love!
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Moist Vanilla Pound Cake with Butter Rum Glaze
- Best Chocolate Bundt Cake with Rich Chocolate Glaze
- Rainbow Cake with Lemon Glaze
- Moist Lemon Bundt Cake (Grand Prize Winning Recipe)
If you make this cheerful Bundt, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram so I can share your cake, or give the recipe a review!
Confetti Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Nonstick baking spray
Ingredients
- 2½ cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup canola, vegetable, or safflower oil
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (not nonfat)
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles (see Notes)
White Chocolate Glaze (optional, see Notes)
- 8 oz white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
- ⅓ cup half-and-half
- ⅙ teaspoon salt
- 1 to 1½ cup confectioners' sugar
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Instructions
Confetti Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray a minimum 10-cup Bundt pan with non-stick baking spray (see Notes.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat sugar, butter, and oil at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Beat in the whole eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour and two of buttermilk, beating just until incorporated and smooth.
- In a separate medium clean bowl (see Notes), use a handheld mixer to beat the egg whites at medium-low speed until foamy. Gradually increase to high speed and beat until stiff peaks form (they should stand on their own when the raised up with the beaters.)
- Using a spatula, carefully fold the whites into the batter in 2 or 3 additions. Fold in the sprinkles.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Place the pan in the center of your preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until the top is puffed and golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
White Chocolate Glaze (optional, see Notes for alternatives)
- In a small saucepan, stir together white chocolate, half-and-half, and salt over medium low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar. Whisk in more sugar if necessary, a few tablespoons at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Decorate the top with more sprinkles. Let the glaze set for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Instead white chocolate glaze, top the cake with Vanilla Glaze, Chocolate Glaze, Lemon Glaze, or just a dusting of powdered sugar!
- I have used a 10-cup and a 12-cup Bundt pan for this recipe. Both work! The 10 cup version will be a little deeper after baking.
- Use a clean, dry bowl to ensure that egg whites firm up as they are beaten. Excess oils or water can inhibit the whipping process.
- Don't use non-pareil sprinkles, which are the colored tiny round variety. Use sprinkles shaped like short cylinders, sometimes called "jimmies."
- I always use a non-stick baking spray to coat my Bundt pans (as opposed to a cooking spray.) I've found this to be the best way to prevent Bundts from sticking to pans.
