Easy Vegan Funfetti Cake

Recipes can be born of divine inspiration. Some are created by the desire to bring an exceptional meal or memory home. More are conjured out of the sheer need to use up ingredients, utilitarian but wonderful. However, it is created, breathing a good recipe into being, takes a little bit of magic.

Funfetti is the epitome of magic. All of the things that seemingly shouldn’t work together just make so much sense. An explosion of candy colors against a sturdy buttery vanilla cake, little unexpected hues that surprise and delight. It invokes smiles and memories wherever it goes. It is EXTRA and it doesn’t GAF.

When I was asked to be the baker for an upcoming queer wedding-styled shoot with badass queer photographers Jenni Chung and Karla Janette, I knew I wanted to bring a cake that screamed joy. Something that wasn’t anti-wedding but a cake that didn’t HAVE to be “wedding.” After working in the wedding industry in my previous life, I had seen one too many sad cakes. The gays deserve more. No shade to all those cakes of the past, I am sure they tasted fine and were enjoyed by guests, but just FINE is not my style. In my days as a wedding planner, I sought to provide details that wowed. Bits and bobs that went past the performative wedding checklist and wormed their way into memory. A cake that is unique, beautiful, tasty and maybe even a little fun….that basically is the unicorn of a wedding reception.

Enter this delightful, dare I even say elegant VEGAN FUNFETTI CAKE. Trial and error of delicious proportion lead me here to share this buttery, bright FUN funfetti with you all. Make it to end your dinner party. Serve it with champagne or a sparkling mocktail. Let’s rebrand funfetti into something not just from the blue box or for kids. Let’s make some memories and some magic. Also check out some amazon links below for the perfect VEGAN sprinkles and some easy ways to up your baking game!

Tag @thistlessummit on Instagram if you make it!

VEGAN Funfetti & vanilla buttercream

6 inch layered cake

CAKE

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup melted vegan butter- cooled (we like earth balance sticks)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 cups + 2-3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (we only use King Arthur)

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (plus more for topping)

FROSTING

• 1/2 cup vegan butter- softened (We like earth balance sticks)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line TWO 6 inch pans with parchment. Oil and flour the parchment for easy release.

Add non-dairy milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl and let set a few minutes to curdle. You will see small curds, don’t expect anything big. Add melted butter and vanilla and whisk vigorously to combine. Then add sugar and whisk to combine.

Sift first to make your life easy. Add dry ingredients (save sprinkles for later) to a bowl.

Stir with a rubber spatula and blend until well incorporated. No large lumps should remain. The batter should be thick pancake consistency. Depending on the batter feel free to add one or two more tablespoons of flour to achieve desired consistency.

Add sprinkles and fold in gently. Then divide the batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Fill only 3/4 of the way up each pan to prevent overflow in the oven.

Bake on a center rack for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool completely on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the pan and invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Remove parchment paper.

While cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer add softened butter. Beat until light and fluffy. It should turn slightly pale. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Clean the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed. If the frosting gets too thick or hard to work with, add a splash more of non-dairy milk. The frosting should hold a soft peak with the mixer. Be easy to pipe but still stiff.

Once the cake is totally cool, layer one layer onto a cake board or plate. Add a layer of frosting. Add another layer of cake and a layer of frosting. Frost the sides or leave it partially naked. This frosting recipe should be enough for the layer in between, on top and slightly naked sides. Top with additional sprinkles as desired. Store in fridge and bring to room temperature for 15 mins before serving.

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