Moist & Fluffy Gluten-Free Confetti Cake
This gluten-free sprinkle cake is so moist and fluffy, with a tender buttery crumb! The vanilla cake batter is filled with rainbow sprinkles and has a homemade vanilla buttercream in between the layers. This is the perfect gluten-free birthday cake, and is absolutely delicious.
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 32 min
- Yield
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 90 g Bob's Red Mill sweet rice flour (different from "white rice flour" or "brown rice flour")
- 64 g Bob’s Red Mill sorghum flour
- 63 g Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 37 g Bob’s Red Mill millet flour
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (yolk and white separated, room temperature)
- 2 large whites (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (leave out for nut-free version)
- ½ cup whole milk (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup sour cream (room temperature)
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles (see note about kind)
- 1½ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush three 6-inch cake pans lightly with vegetable oil or cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- 2
In a medium bowl, sift together the sweet rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, millet flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- 3
Using a hand mixer, whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl, starting on low speed and increasing to high speed until soft peak form. When the beater is pulled out a peak should rise and the very tip should fall. Set aside. (See note about skipping this step.)
- 4
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar over medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- 5
With the mixer on low speed, add eggs yolk and vanilla and almond extracts, mixing until combined. Keeping the speed on low, slowly add the dry ingredients in three batches, adding the sour cream and milk in between, mixing until just combined.
- 6
Using a rubber spatula, fold in ⅓ of the whipped egg whites to loosen the batter. Then carefully fold in the remaining whipped egg whites until almost combined. Fold in the sprinkles just until evenly distributed.
- 7
Divide the batter among the prepared baking pans and use an offset spatula to spread evenly. Pick each cake pan up 1-2 inches and drop it on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 29-33 minutes until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the middle and a toothpick comes out dry or with a few moist crumbs. This cake will seem very light and airy in texture when gently pressed, so take care not to overbake it.
- 8
Remove from oven. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then overturn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. To do this, I place a large wire rack or sheet pan over the baking pan and, holding it together, carefully flip the cake to release. Peel off the parchment paper, then place a wire rack over the top, and carefully flip right side up.
- 9
Once cool, make the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter over medium speed. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter, in 3 batches, beating until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until smooth. Add the milk or cream, starting with just 2 tablespoons and adding additional milk or cream as needed, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Fold in a few drops of gel food coloring, if desired.
- 10
Frost the cake. For a layer cake, spread 1/2 cup of frosting between each layer. spread a very thin layer of frosting on the top and side. This is the crumb coat to keep the crumbs off your final pretty frosting layer. Chill the cake for 15 minutes. Spread remaining frosting all over the cake, smoothing it using an offset spatula. Top with sprinkles. Slice and serve (see note)