Betsy Bakes: Confetti Cake

Each of my kids has chosen a baked good that they’d like to master during our time in quarantine. Carson has brownies, Betsy has cakes and Christopher has claimed cookies.

Originally Betsy chose a Brooklyn Blackout cake. As we were writing down ingredients to add to our grocery list she says “I don’t really like chocolate”, so we went back to the cookbook, Layered by Tessa Huff, and she stopped at this one. Of course she did! It’s such a happy cake! I made this for my birthday a few years ago…back when I was making sprinkles, taking much better food pics and making animated GIFS. Ummm, where did THAT girl go?!

This time around we just made the white cake layers and I used my favorite buttercream instead of the fancier Swiss meringue buttercream she uses in the book. This frosting is my go-to. I only needed a half batch for this cake.

I did NOT make my own sprinkles this time. Not because it’s hard, but because I am just too lazy and it is time consuming! Also because I have a huge bag of sprinkles in my pantry and I wanted to seize the opportunity to use them.

The recipe calls for 2 6-inch cake pans. I used these small cake pans and they worked perfectly for the amount of batter. Only problem with so many layers is getting everything to stand up straight…a problem I have encountered more than I care to admit. But thankfully this cake was just for us to enjoy so there was no need to make it perfect or worry about its askew angle.

This cake is solidly good. It’s substantial but not heavy, sweet but not overly so which makes it a great base for the sugary sweet frosting!

I am so glad that we got to try this cake again, and I can see myself going back to it for sure. Quite frankly I’m surprised (and embarrassed) that I haven’t made it again until now. Thanks for reintroducing me to it, Bets!

Confetti Cake

From Layered by Tessa Huff

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick butter, room temp
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 egg yolks, room temp
  • 3/4 cup milk, room temp
  • 1/2 cup sprinkles

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Grease and flour the cake pans, line with parchment if you know your pans tend to stick.
  3. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
  4. Beat the butter for 2 minutes, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl a few times as you mix.
  5. Add in the egg yolks and extracts and beat to combine.
  6. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture, beat to just combine, then pour in half of the milk and beat again just to combine. Repeat flour, milk and flour until just combined. Gently fold in the sprinkles.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 15-25 minutes depending on how deep your pans are. The thin pans I used baked up in about 17 minutes. Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should come out clean.
  8. Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then let cool completely on wire racks.
  9. Frost with your favorite recipe or the one below!

Vanilla Buttercream

AKA My Favorite Frosting and just a half batch

From Magnolia Bakery

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4-6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sprinkles

Directions

  1. Beat the butter until creamy.
  2. Beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar, the milk, salt and vanilla until very smooth and creamy.
  3. Add the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, beating well, until it reaches the desired consistency.
  4. Gently fold in the sprinkles.