Delicious Homemade 6-Inch Funfetti Cake: The Ultimate Small Birthday Cake Recipe

This delightful Small Birthday Cake, featuring creamy buttercream frosting and a shower of colorful rainbow sprinkles, is a homemade 6-inch funfetti cake crafted from scratch – no cake mix required! Whether you’re celebrating a special anniversary, a small birthday for two, or simply craving a touch of joy, this recipe is your perfect companion.

Life is full of moments, big and small, that deserve a little sweetness. And what better way to celebrate these occasions than with a vibrant, homemade birthday cake? This Small Birthday Cake recipe is specially designed for intimate gatherings or when you just need a personal treat. It features a tender, moist funfetti cake base, generously studded with sprinkles, and topped with a luscious small batch buttercream frosting that’s as easy to make as it is delicious.

Gone are the days when baking a cake meant a huge commitment or a mountain of leftovers. This 6-inch funfetti cake recipe embodies convenience and celebration, proving that big flavors can come in smaller packages. It’s an ideal choice for a romantic dessert for two, a “smash cake” for a little one’s first birthday, or simply to brighten a challenging week with a dose of colorful cheer. Imagine the joy of cutting into a perfectly baked, sprinkle-filled slice, knowing you created this deliciousness from scratch!

What Exactly Is Funfetti Cake?

Let’s dive into the delightful world of funfetti cake! Sometimes known as confetti cake, funfetti cake is essentially a vanilla-flavored cake with colorful sprinkles mixed directly into the batter before baking. The result is a wonderfully whimsical cake that tastes distinctly of butter and vanilla, with a playful pop of color in every bite.

There are generally two main types of funfetti cake: white cake with sprinkles or yellow cake with sprinkles. The choice often comes down to personal preference for flavor and texture:

• White Cake: Traditionally made with only egg whites, resulting in a lighter, whiter crumb. Some recipes even use a blend of butter and shortening to prevent the batter from taking on a yellow tint from pure butter.
• Yellow Cake: Made with whole eggs and all butter. I personally prefer yellow funfetti cake for its richer, more indulgent flavor, which the egg yolks contribute compared to the lighter taste of a white cake.

This particular recipe is a delicious adaptation of my popular small yellow cake. I’ve enhanced the vanilla flavor to truly shine through the sprinkles and adjusted the leavening agents to perfectly complement the use of whole milk, which lacks the acidity found in buttermilk.

Essential Ingredients for Your Small Birthday Cake

To embark on your 6-inch birthday cake baking adventure, gather these key ingredients. Each plays a crucial role in creating the perfect texture and flavor:

• All-Purpose Flour: For accessibility, this recipe uses a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch instead of specialized cake flour. If you happen to have cake flour on hand, you can substitute the flour and cornstarch with an equal amount of cake flour.
• Cornstarch: This ingredient is vital when substituting cake flour. It helps to reduce the gluten content in all-purpose flour, mimicking the tender crumb that cake flour provides. If you’re using cake flour, simply swap the cornstarch for an additional tablespoon of cake flour.
• Baking Powder: Our primary leavening agent. It reacts with moisture and heat to produce carbon dioxide, creating air pockets that make your cake light and fluffy. Always check that your baking powder is fresh and not expired for optimal rise.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is essential! It doesn’t just make the batter taste less bland; it actually enhances all the other flavors in the cake, making them more pronounced and balanced.
• Unsalted Butter: Beyond adding a rich, creamy flavor, butter contributes significantly to the cake’s structure and texture. As it melts during baking, its steam helps the cake rise, trapping carbon dioxide and leading to a wonderfully tender crumb. Always use unsalted butter at room temperature and never substitute with margarine, which has a different fat and water content.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake, but also plays a role in moisture and tenderness. It helps to tenderize the gluten in the flour and keeps the cake moist.
• Large Egg: Use a standard large egg, brought to room temperature. Eggs act as a binder, provide structure, add richness from the yolk, and contribute to moisture and tenderness.
• Vanilla Extract: Given this is a funfetti cake, vanilla is a star flavor. Don’t skimp here; use a high-quality pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for the best and most authentic flavor.
• Whole Milk: The fat content in whole milk is crucial for a moist and tender cake. Avoid using 2% or skim milk, as the lack of fat will result in a drier cake. Ensure your milk is also at room temperature for optimal mixing.
• Sprinkles: The heart of funfetti! I highly recommend using confetti sprinkles (the flat, disc-shaped ones) or jimmie sprinkles. Crucially, avoid nonpareils (the tiny, rod-shaped sprinkles). Nonpareils are prone to melting and bleeding their colors into the batter, which can create an unappetizing, muddy appearance.

The Essential 6-Inch Cake Pan for Your Small Birthday Cake

To successfully create this small birthday cake recipe, investing in a 6-inch cake pan is a must. And with my extensive collection of 6-inch cake recipes (over 16 and growing!), you’ll find yourself reaching for this pan time and time again.

A standard 6 x 2 inch round cake pan typically has a volume of about 3 cups and comfortably holds approximately 2 cups of batter, leaving ample room for the cake to rise without overflowing. You can easily purchase one online from Amazon (affiliate link) or find it in the cake decorating aisle of your local craft or kitchen supply store.

How to Bake a Small Birthday Cake from Scratch

Crafting this delicious 6-inch birthday cake from scratch is a rewarding process. Follow these steps for a perfect bake every time:

1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: Begin by sifting together your all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a large bowl. Sifting is crucial as it aerates the flour and removes any lumps, contributing to a lighter cake texture. Once sifted, stir in the baking powder and salt, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale yellow, usually about 2-3 minutes. This crucial step incorporates air into the butter, which helps the cake to rise and develop a tender crumb.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Scrape down the sides of your bowl to ensure everything is well combined. Then, beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing at this stage.
4. Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: With your mixer set to the lowest speed, gradually add the dry ingredients mixture alternating with the whole milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture in three additions and the milk in two additions. After the final addition of flour, switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold by hand until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter; overmixing can develop too much gluten, resulting in a dense, tough, or “cornbread-like” texture. Finally, gently fold in your chosen sprinkles.
5. Prepare and Bake: Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and parchment-lined 6-inch cake pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 23-25 minutes. The cake is done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter.
6. Cooling: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature before frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting.

This homemade small funfetti cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance, unfrosted. Store cooled, unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature. Once frosted, store leftovers for up to 5 days, as detailed below.

How to Decorate Your Small Birthday Cake

A cake isn’t truly complete without frosting! For this funfetti masterpiece, I highly recommend pairing it with my small batch buttercream frosting, perfectly portioned to cover a 6-inch cake without a mountain of leftovers. Ensure your cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent any meltdowns.

Feeling adventurous with flavors? Explore these delicious frosting alternatives:

• For chocolate lovers: Try a rich small batch chocolate frosting or a tangy chocolate cream cheese frosting.
• For pretty in pink: Opt for a delightful strawberry cream cheese frosting, a classic strawberry buttercream, or a vibrant raspberry cream cheese frosting.

Looking for even more options? My comprehensive guide on Small Batch Frosting Recipes offers a variety of flavors and types, allowing you to mix and match to create your perfect cake!

Do You Need to Refrigerate a Homemade Funfetti Cake After Frosting?

One of the most common questions about frosted cakes is whether they need refrigeration, especially those with buttercream frosting. The good news is, typically no! Because buttercream frosting contains a significant amount of powdered sugar, it acts as a preservative, making it safe to leave your frosted cake out at cool room temperature for 2-3 days.

This means your beautifully decorated 6-inch birthday cake can sit proudly on your counter overnight or for a couple of days without concern. However, it’s important to consider the ambient temperature. Buttercream frosting is primarily made of butter, which has a relatively low melting point. In warmer climates or during summer months, buttercream can become soft or even melt. In such cases, refrigerating your cake is highly recommended to maintain its structure and freshness.

Best Practices for Refrigerating a Frosted Cake

If you decide to refrigerate your cake, either due to warmth or for extended storage, follow these steps to ensure it stays fresh and delicious:

1. Chill Uncovered First: Place your frosted cake in the refrigerator uncovered for about 15-20 minutes. This allows the buttercream frosting to firm up slightly, creating a protective crust. This prevents accidental smudging when you later cover the cake.
2. Cover Properly: Once the frosting is firm, it’s crucial to cover the cake to prevent it from drying out or absorbing refrigerator odors. You have a couple of options:
   • Loose Plastic Wrap: You can loosely wrap the cake with plastic wrap. If you’re concerned about the wrap touching the frosting, you can insert a few toothpicks into the cake to create a tent-like structure that holds the plastic wrap away from the frosting.
   • Airtight Cake Container: I highly recommend using an airtight cake container (affiliate link). These containers are designed to keep your cake fresh without touching the delicate frosting, and they also allow you to stack other items on top in your fridge, saving space.
3. Bring to Room Temperature: For the best flavor and texture, allow a refrigerated cake to sit at room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes (or longer for very cold cakes) before serving. This softens the butter in the frosting and cake, making it more enjoyable.

Discover More Small Cake Recipes

Loved baking and enjoying this funfetti cake recipe? If you’re a fan of small-batch desserts, you’re in luck! Here are more fantastic small cake recipes perfect for two or a small household, all designed to be just as delightful:

• Small Chocolate Cake – A classic, rich chocolate cake made with cocoa powder, perfect for chocolate enthusiasts.
• Small Red Velvet Cake – A stunning red cocoa cake, traditionally paired with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
• Small Strawberry Cake – A naturally pink and berry-delicious cake made from fresh strawberries, no artificial flavors or Jello needed.
• Small German Chocolate Cake – A decadent twist on chocolate cake, topped with a rich coconut pecan frosting.

Baking a cake from scratch doesn’t have to be an intimidating endeavor. This homemade 6-inch funfetti cake offers all the joy of a celebratory dessert in a manageable size. With its vibrant sprinkles, tender crumb, and luscious buttercream, it’s guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face. So go ahead, whip up this delightful cake, celebrate the small moments, and savor every delicious bite!

First published April 30, 2019