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Gluten-Free Funfetti Layer Cake — Dairy-Free Celebration Cake

Think back to your childhood birthdays—what cake did you ask for? Odds are you requested a funfetti cake at least once. Light, tender vanilla layers studded with colorful sprinkles make it the quintessential celebration dessert. With three kids and many birthday cakes to bake each year, I developed a gluten-free, dairy-free funfetti layer cake that still feels indulgent and festive.

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A pink funfetti cake top with bright sprinkles, pink frosting swirls, and gold oreo cookies sandwiches on the top. There is a slice taken out of the cut and two slices cut into it.

What is a Funfetti Cake?

A funfetti cake is essentially a soft, fluffy vanilla layer cake dotted with colorful sprinkles for a confetti-like appearance. Sometimes called a confetti cake or simply a birthday cake, it’s a basic vanilla cake recipe built for celebration. This version is stacked and finished with whipped vanilla buttercream tinted a soft pink, with extra sprinkles around the base and tall frosting swirls on top—a perfect gluten-free, dairy-free party cake.

Which Gluten-Free Flour Works Best?

After baking through a celiac diagnosis, I learned that not all gluten-free flours are equal. The most reliable results for a light, tender cake came from a blend of rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and guar gum. If your gf blend doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, include it in the recipe—without some binder like xanthan or guar gum cakes can turn out dense and flat. If your blend does include xanthan, omit the added xanthan in the recipe.

A bright pink Funfetti cake with bright sprinkles around the bottom of it. There is a large slice taken out of the cake allowing you to see three sprinkled cake layers inside the cake with pink frosting between each layer.

Which Sprinkles Are Gluten-Free?

Sprinkles are essential to funfetti. Look for labels that explicitly list “gluten-free” or a certified gluten-free mark and always double-check ingredient lists. Confetti-style sequins or jimmie-only mixes generally work best; tiny nonpareils can sometimes bleed their color into the batter and muddy the cake’s appearance.

A slice of brightly sprinkled funfetti cake sitting on a white plate. There is pink frosting between each cake layers.

Can I Make This With Regular Ingredients?

Yes. If you don’t need gluten-free or dairy-free ingredients, you can use regular wheat-based flour and dairy butter and milk. For the best texture with standard ingredients, use cake flour for a lighter crumb and omit xanthan gum. If you’re not dairy-free, full-fat milk or buttermilk and regular salted butter yield very tasty results.

The Perfect Sprinkled Birthday Layer Cake

This cake is made for celebrations. Three fluffy gluten-free layers filled with colorful sprinkles and coated in silky whipped vanilla buttercream make it ideal for birthdays or any festive occasion. The bright sprinkles and pink frosting give it a playful, party-ready look while staying gluten-free and dairy-free.

A pink Funfetti cake with brightly colored sprinkles all around the bottom of the cake on a white cake stand. The cake is topped with gold oreo cookies and pink frosting swirls.

Baking Tips for Sprinkles

Sprinkles instantly make anything feel celebratory. For best results when mixing sprinkles into batter, use larger confetti-style pieces or jimmies to avoid color bleed. Reserve extra sprinkles to press around the frosted cake base or to scatter on top for extra fun.

  • Funfetti Sugar Cookies
  • Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
  • Salted Bubblegum Funfetti Cake
  • Funfetti Blondies
A pink Funfetti cake with brightly colored sprinkles all around the bottom of the cake on a white cake stand. The cake is topped with gold oreo cookies and pink frosting swirls.

Gluten-Free Funfetti Layer Cake (Dairy-Free)

Rating: 5 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Katie Stymiest
  • Total Time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
  • Yield: 12 Slices
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

A fluffy gluten-free and dairy-free funfetti layer cake perfect for special celebrations. Bright sprinkles in the cake and smooth whipped vanilla buttercream make this cake joyful and delicious.

Ingredients

Funfetti Layer Cake

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) dairy-free milk, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 2 cups (320g) gluten-free 1:1 baking blend*
  • 1 1/4 cup (250g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum**
  • 2/3 cup (151g) salted dairy-free butter, room temperature, cubed
  • 1 cup (192g) gluten-free sprinkles

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 2 cups (454g) salted dairy-free butter, room temperature
  • 5 1/2 cups (660g) icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Optional: gluten-free sprinkles, gluten-free cookies, pink gel food color

Instructions

Funfetti Layer Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dairy-free milk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract; set aside.
  3. In a stand-mixer bowl with a flat beater, combine the gluten-free flour blend, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Mix briefly.
  4. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, mixing on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
  5. Pour in about half the liquid mixture and mix on medium for 2 minutes.
  6. Add the remaining liquid and mix on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl, then mix on medium for another 2 minutes.
  7. Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula until just combined.
  8. Divide batter between the three pans and bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges pull slightly from the pan.
  9. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter on high until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add icing sugar, vanilla, and salt; mix on low until combined. Add color if desired.
  3. Increase speed to high and beat 5 minutes until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Cake Assembly

  1. Level each cooled cake layer if needed.
  2. Place the first layer on a cake board or turntable and spread about 1 1/2 cups of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers.
  3. Apply a thin crumb coat and chill 20 minutes.
  4. Frost the cake with a final layer of buttercream and smooth the sides. For a raw edge, leave the top edge unfinished or create sharp edges with an offset spatula.
  5. Press extra sprinkles around the cake base or decorate as desired. Pipe swirls on top and add cookies or other decorations. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 7 days or freeze up to 6 months.

Equipment

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6-Inch Cake Pan

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Cake Leveler

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Cake Turntable

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Disposable 12″ Piping Bag

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KitchenAid Flat Beater

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KitchenAid Mixer 4.5 QT

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Wilton Icing Smoother

Notes

This cake can easily be made with regular wheat and dairy ingredients—use cup measurements rather than weight when substituting. *I used a gluten-free all-purpose baking blend. **Omit xanthan gum if your blend already includes it.

Other Details

  • Prep Time: 60 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 Minutes
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 698
  • Sugar: 45 g
  • Sodium: 227 mg
  • Fat: 39 g
  • Saturated Fat: 24 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
  • Trans Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 72 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Cholesterol: 155 mg

Did you make this recipe?

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