This funfetti frosting is a rich and creamy from scratch vanilla buttercream filled with colorful sprinkles. It’s quick and easy to make in about 10 minutes or less using 5 simple ingredients. Make the best homemade frosting as the perfect topping for cakes, cupcakes and so much more!
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore baking with sprinkles. Funfetti, confetti, rainbow, whatever you choose to bake with, adding sprinkles to a recipe instantly makes it more fun and a joy to eat. A few of my favorite sprinkle filled recipes from the blog are my Birthday Cake Cookies, Funfetti Pound Cake, Funfetti Sandwich Cookies and Birthday Cake Blondies. I am so excited to add this sprinkle filled funfetti buttercream to the blog. I know you’ll love this sprinkles frosting recipe because:
- Super simple to make. From start to finish, you can make this wonderfully easy frosting with sprinkles in about 10 minutes. Then, just top your cakes, cupcakes, cookies or even brownies and enjoy!
- Instant fun with little effort. This homemade funfetti frosting adds an instant boost of fun and versatility to celebrate any holiday or occasion.
Ingredients
This easy funfetti frosting needs only a handful of ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your home! Here’s what you will need to make this sprinkles buttercream frosting recipe.
Gather unsalted butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and sprinkles.
Substitutions
This funfetti vanilla frosting is meant to be quick and easy to make. Here are my recommended substitutions if you need them.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter, dairy free butter or vegan butter depending on your needs.
- Powdered Sugar: I like using Wholesome Organic powdered sugar. If you need a lower sugar powdered sugar alternative, I recommend Swerve or Lakanto.
- Heavy Cream: This is helps to create a light and fluffy texture to the frosting, more like a whipped cream frosting. If needed, use milk in place of the heavy cream.
- Vanilla Extract: This provides a lovely background flavor for the no bake cheesecake filling.
- Sprinkles: This wouldn’t be a funfetti frosting without colorful sprinkles! I use rainbow sprinkles rather than confetti sprinkles. If needed, you can also use dye free or naturally dyed sprinkles.
Variation
Cream Cheese Frosting with Sprinkles: To make this funfetti buttercream frosting recipe into one with cream cheese, simply swap out some of the butter with cream cheese. Use 12 tablespoon (170 g) unsalted butter and 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese at room temperature. Cream them together on low speed for about 2 -3 minutes, until creamy and well combined. Then follow the rest of the recipe as written.
How To Make
Let me show you how to make confetti frosting in two easy steps.
- Cream the softened butter until smooth. This takes about 1 -2 minutes on low speed. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in the sifted powdered sugar ½ cup (60 g) at a time, beating each addition of powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
- Once all the sugar has been added, mix in the vanilla extract, salt and and heavy cream. Beat on high for 6 - 8 minutes or until the frosting is to your desired consistency. Once the buttercream is light and fluffy, fold in the rainbow sprinkles to make the vanilla buttercream into funfetti frosting. Prepare the frosting for topping cakes or cupcakes or to store until you are ready to use.
How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
Store: The confetti icing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you are ready to use the funfetti buttercream, bring it to room temperature before using in a recipe.
Freeze: The confetti frosting in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 -3 months.
Thaw: Transfer the frosting to the fridge to thaw overnight. When you are ready to use the funfetti buttercream frosting, bring it to room temperature before using in a recipe.
Serve: This homemade vanilla buttercream frosting with sprinkles is the perfect way to top just about any baked good. I highly recommend my Ganache Chocolate Cake, Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, Matilda’s Chocolate Cake, Mini Cupcakes, or even Brownie Bites.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use room temperature butter. Using cold butter can cause the frosting to have little bumps. The Oreo buttercream will be much smoother, easier to work with the fluffier if the butter is room temperature prior to mixing.
- Scrape down the bowl. This is often an overlooked step when making buttercream frosting. However, it is an important step to ensure all the ingredients are fully and evenly mixed.
- Beat for the full 6 - 8 minutes. To ensure the sprinkles frosting is light and fluffy, the icing needs to mix for the full time.
- Use rainbow sprinkles or soft candy sprinkles. It’s best to use “jimmies” or soft candy sprinkles rather than sugar sprinkles or hard candy sprinkles. Sugar sprinkles will easily dissolve into the frosting and hard candy sprinkles can make the frosting a bit difficult to eat.
- Use a large piping tip. If you plan on piping the frosting, it is very important to use a larger, more open tip such as a 1M star tip.
- Serve at room temperature. This frosting for funfetti cake tastes best when it is served at room temperature. If the environment isn’t hot or overly warm, the cake or cupcakes with this icing can be left at room temperature.
FAQs
This recipe makes about 3 ½ - 4 cups of frosting. This is enough frosting for 12 cupcakes with high frosting swirls, 24 cupcakes with a normal amount of frosting, a 9 x 13 cake or a 2 layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake without decorative piping. For taller piping on 24 cupcakes or to add decorative piping to a cake, make at least 1 ½ times the recipe.
As the sprinkles are being mixed into the frosting, they should be fine. The longer the sprinkles sit in the buttercream frosting, the more likely the colors will bleed into the frosting. Store the frosting in the fridge to delay this from happening.
Yes! Mixing the sprinkles into the vanilla frosting makes a funfetti or confetti frosting. Try mixing some sprinkles into the cake or cupcake batter for funfetti cakes or funfetti cupcakes to pair with the funfetti frosting.
Other Frosting Recipes to Try
- Coffee Buttercream
- Oreo Frosting
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
If you try this Funfetti Frosting Recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Funfetti Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4½ - 5 cups (540 - 600 g) powdered sugar
- 3 - 4 tbsp (45 - 60 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
- 1½ tsp (8 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ - ¾ cup (118 - 177 ml) sprinkles
Instructions
- Pull the butter out about 30 - 60 minutes before making the recipe.
- Cream the softened butter until smooth. This takes about 1 -2 minutes on low speed. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- Mix in the sifted powdered sugar ½ cup (60 g) at a time, beating each addition of powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.4½ - 5 cups (540 - 600 g) powdered sugar
- Once all the sugar has been added, mix in the vanilla extract, salt and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) heavy cream. If the frosting it too thick, add one more tablespoon (15 ml) heavy cream. If it is not thick enough, add ½ cup more powdered sugar.3 - 4 tablespoon (45 - 60 ml) heavy cream, room temperature, 1½ teaspoon (8 ml) vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Beat on high for 6 - 8 minutes or until the frosting is to your desired consistency.
- Once the buttercream is light and fluffy, fold in the rainbow sprinkles to make the vanilla buttercream into funfetti frosting.½ - ¾ cup (118 - 177 ml) sprinkles
- Prepare the frosting for topping cakes or cupcakes or to store until you are ready to use.
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