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image of slices of a gluten free funfetti cake that's been decorating with buttercream stripes and a pink drip
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4.95 from 18 ratings

Gluten Free Funfetti Layer Cake

This gluten free funfetti cake recipe makes the perfect six inch layer cake! It makes three, moist cake layers that are perfect for stacking.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time32 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 2 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 650kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Gluten Free Funfetti Cake

  • 2 cups + 2 Tbsp gluten free flour blend 255g
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 75g
  • 2/3 cup large egg whites, room temperature or about 5 egg whites (155g)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 228g
  • 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 75g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1 tsp almond extract 4g
  • 1/2 cup rainbow jimmie sprinkles 90g

Almond Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 434g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1 tsp almond extract 4g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 7 cups powdered sugar 907g - or a 2 lb bag
  • 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 30g

Pink Drip Recipe

Additional Decorations – Optional

  • Fun sprinkle blend

Equipment Needed

Instructions

Gluten Free Funfetti Cake Layers:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 6 inch pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick baking spray or homemade pan release.
  • Mix together all dry ingredients (gluten free flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
  • Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
  • Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed.
  • Add in oil, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium high speed for about a minute. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  • Fold in the rainbow sprinkles with a rubber spatula.
  • Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees the layers will bake to be the same height.
  • Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  • Place cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process.Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.
  • Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers.

Almond Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • Beat the unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth with a paddle attachment and stand mixer or a hand mixer.
  • Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt on a low speed.
  • Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix on a low speed. Half way through add in the heavy cream to make it easier to mix. I like to place a kitchen towel over my mixer to contain any powdered sugar clouds.
  • Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
  • If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
  • Cover the frosting with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Assembling this Gluten Free Funfetti Cake:

  • Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate.
  • Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula. If desired, sprinkle 2 Tbsp of rainbow sprinkles on top of each layer of frosting.
  • Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake, fully cover the cake layers. 
  • Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  • Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper.
  • If you want to make stripes around your cake like mine, use a frosting comb to carve lines in the frosting, then place the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting stripes are totally firm to the touch.
  • Color the remaining buttercream teal and pink with gel food coloring and fill in the gaps in the frosting. Smooth with a bench scraper until your stripes are clean. You can learn more about how to make a striped buttercream cake here.
  • Chill the cake again until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Adding the Pink Drips:

  • While the cake chills, make the white chocolate ganache drip.
  • Heat the heavy cream in a heat proof bowl in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until it's steaming and just beginning to bubble. 
  • Gently pour the heavy cream over the white chocolate chips, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Allow mixture to sit for 1 minute.
  • Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined. Some bits of chocolate may not be fully melted yet. If you notice this in your mixture, heat the mixture again for 15 seconds and stir. Repeat as necessary until all the chocolate bits are fully melted and incorporated.
  • Once the ganache is smooth, mix in the gel food coloring until the ganache is evenly colored. If you plan to use a plastic bottle to add your drips, pour the mixture into a plastic bottle.
  • Let the mixture cool until the desired viscosity is reached and it's barely warm to the touch.
  • If it seems too thin or thick, you can add a touch more chocolate chips or heavy cream! The type of cream and white chocolate that you use can affect the consistency, so feel free to adjust as needed.
  • Make a test drip with your ganache to see if it's the right consistency, then adjust as needed (i.e. if the ganache is too thin let it cool more or add more white chocolate, or if it’s too thick pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds or add a tiny bit more heavy cream).
  • Once it's the right consistency, add the drips to the chilled cake using a plastic squirt bottle or spoon. After covering the sides of the cake with drips, chill the cake in the freezer for 5 minutes to help the drips set.
  • Add some of the remaining ganache on top of the cake and carefully spread it over the top of the chilled cake. 
  • Then decorate as desired! I like to add a fun sprinkle blend around the base of the cake and use the leftover buttercream to pipe dollops on top of the cake using an open star frosting tip.

Video

Notes

Things to Keep in Mind as You Make this GF Funfetti Cake

  • Properly measure your gluten free flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
  • Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
  • Don’t level your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
  • Make this gluten free funfetti cake vegan or dairy free! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream, vegan butter sticks in place of the butter, and flax seed eggs or a vegan egg replacer in place of the eggs.
  • Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake! It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
  • If you want to add drips to your layer cake like mine, I walk through a detailed video tutorial of the process here.

Tips for Making this Cake in Advance

  • Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and make it more approachable.
  • Make your frosting ahead of time too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
  • A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
  • If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 243mg | Sugar: 84g