Funfetti Cake

Why have a plain yellow cake if you can have a funfetti cake? That’s the question my family asks. I don’t know why, but sprinkles always make things better. Or maybe my kids just like dumping sprinkles into the cake batter. But I must admit, as a chocolate cake lover, even sprinkles will make me excited to eat a yellow cake. Though, if you prefer a plain yellow cake, just omit the sprinkles.

Just like last week’s recipe, this one is a ratio recipe. Feel free to play around with the ingredients (as long as you still use some kind of flour, sugar, fat, and eggs) and how much of each you use (as long as you follow the ratio and remember to keep the weights within 20% of where they should be).

This is a high ratio cake, which are the sweeter bakery style cakes. The ratio is 1 part eggs: 1 part fat: 2 parts sugar: 2 parts flour: 1 part liquid plus 1 tsp of baking powder per cup of flour (or, as I’ve figured out, 2 tsps baking powder for 2 large eggs).

The Long Instructions

Step 1: Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Prepare two cake tins. I use 8 inch round tins, but, depending on how much cake batter you choose to make, any size and shape can be used. I usually use parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the bottom of the tins and then grease liberally, but you can also grease liberally and/or coat the bottom and sides with flour. Personally, I hate that method as I still wind up with cake stuck somewhere.

Step 3: Weigh your eggs. Zero out your scale with something on top to hold the eggs. Crack the eggs into it and read the weight. Remember this number. You’ll need it throughout the measurement stage.

Step 4: Weigh your fat. It should weigh about the same as the eggs. Within 20% is fine. Two large eggs and a stick (half a cup) of butter weigh about the same. Well, close enough.

Step 5: Weigh your sugar. It should weigh about twice as much as the eggs, though use less if you want a less sweet cake. I usually use less when I know I’m adding a sweet filling or frosting.

Step 6: Weigh your flour. Like the sugar, the flour should weigh about twice as much as the eggs. When I’m not cutting back on the sugar, I like to make sure the flour weighs slightly less than the sugar because sometimes the cake tastes a little dry. Sifting the flour also makes the cake just a bit fluffier.

Step 7: Weigh your liquid. This should weigh about the same as the eggs. The eggs plus the liquid should weigh about the same as the sugar. I usually use whole milk, but any liquid works. I’ve used pineapple juice for a pineapple cake and lemon juice for very lemony cupcakes.

Now for the mixing. Don’t worry; with practice, weighing the ingredients will take a very short amount of time.

Step 8: Once the eggs and fat are at room temperature, cream the fat and sugar until it’s fluffy and light yellow and there are no clumps of fat.

Step 9: Add the eggs. I usually add one egg at a time, but you can also add it all at once. I’ve done it both ways and it’s always turned out fine. Sometimes it can get tricky adding one at a time when a small child is demanding your attention! Or trying to stick a hand into the batter.

Step 10: Add a splash of vanilla extract, or any other kind of extract you’d like. A yellow cake is very versatile.

Step 11: Add the baking powder to your flour. For 2 eggs, I use 2 tsps of baking powder, but the rule of thumb is 1 tsp per cup of flour.

Step 12: Add the flour mixture and liquid alternately and mix well after each addition.

Step 13: Add the sprinkles. I let my kids decide how much. Sometimes I regret it when the cake batter starts to turn a funny color.

Step 14: Pour batter into cake tin(s). It might sound weird, but lightly drop the tins onto the counter a few times and then give them a good spin. This keeps it from doming too much, though I always end up with a very slight one.

Step 15: Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Step 16: Frost and enjoy!

And now for the simple directions.

Ingredients List

• eggs
• fat
• flour
• sugar
• a liquid
• vanilla extract
• baking powder
• sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare cake tins with parchment paper or grease liberally and coat with flour.
3. Weigh the eggs and butter so they weigh the same. Double the weight of the eggs and weigh the sugar to that number. Weigh the flour to the same number as the sugar, but it’s completely fine for the weight of the flour to be a little below the weight of the sugar. It’s also fine to dial back on the sugar a bit for a less sweet cake. Add the baking powder (2 tsp for 2 eggs, otherwise 1 tsp per cup of flour) to the flour.
4. Weigh a liquid (milk, water, pineapple juice, etc) so it weighs about the same as the eggs. You can use more than 1 type of liquid.
5. Cream the fat and sugar.
6. Add the eggs and a splash of vanilla extract.
7. Add the flour and liquid alternately.
8. Add sprinkles until you feel happy, or you have a small child who says when to stop, or you run out of sprinkles in the latter case.
9. Pour into cake tins.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
11. Frost and enjoy!

For more recipes or to read about my adventures in ratio baking, be sure to check out the Kitchen.