White Chocolate Confetti Cake
This White Chocolate Confetti Cake takes funfetti cake to the next level! Three layers of a white chocolate cake packed with sprinkles and topped with the smoothest Swiss Meringue Buttercream make this dessert perfect for any celebration!
Servings: 12 slices
Ingredients
For the White Chocolate Confetti Cake:
- ¾ cup salted butter 1 ½ sticks, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 8 oz white chocolate melted
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups sprinkles
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 6 egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups salted butter, room temperature 4 sticks
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
For the White Chocolate Confetti Cake:
- Add white chocolate to a heat proof bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until completely melted. Mine usually takes 1 minute! Preheat the oven to 350° and grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Set the mixer to a low speed and add in the vanilla, eggs, and egg whites, mixing until just combined. Add in white chocolate and combine.
- With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour in the milk and add cake flour, baking powder and salt. stop mixing once the dry and wet ingredients are evenly distributed. Using a spatula, stir in 1 cup of sprinkles by hand, leaving the rest for decoration.
- Evenly distribute batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before flipping onto a cookie rack to cool completely. Once the cake is cool, I like to wrap them in saran and freeze them until I need to assemble. This step isn't necessary, but helps to stabilize the cake and make layering easier!
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- While the cakes are cooling, make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream! Add egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until combined.
- Place bowl over a pot with simmering water, but make sure the water does not touch the bowl! Stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is no longer grainy. Dip your finger in the mixture (be careful, it will be hot!) and rub your fingers together. You shouldn't feel any grains of sugar. You can also use a candy thermometer and cook until the mixture reads 160F. This should take 3-5 minutes.
- Attach bowl to stand mixer and mix on high until stiff peaks form (10-15 minutes) and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch. Once you get the right consistency, set the mixer to a medium speed and add in 1 tablespoon of butter at a time until combined. Then add in vanilla extract and salt, and mix until smooth. This will yield about 5 cups of buttercream.
Cake Assembly:
- Cut the domes off the cakes to make them flat. Place your first cake layer on your plate or cake stand. Spoon about ½ - ¾ cups of Swiss Meringue Buttercream onto the top of the layer and spread to be even. Repeat with one more layer, ending with the final cake layer on top.
- To get a smooth finish we are going to crumb coat the outside. If you're in a hurry or don't care about crumbs in the frosting (it all tastes the same!) then add on the rest of the buttercream and you're done! To crumb coat, add a thin layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake, making sure everything is flat and even. Return to the freezer for 15 minutes. Once set, remove and add the rest of the buttercream, leaving about 1 cup if you'd like to decorate with some piping. Using a bench scraper or spatula, evenly apply frosting and smooth out the sides.
- Use the remaining sprinkles to add to the top and/or sides of the cake. Add the rest of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and add border to the cake. Chill in the refrigerator until serving! This cake can sit on the counter for up to 8 hours but it's best to refrigerate overnight.
Notes
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Tips:
- Don't let any egg yolks in the egg whites or the meringue will not come together
- Make sure the bowl and utensils you use are clean of any grease and completely dry, or this will mess with the consistency.
- If your buttercream is too soft, let the mixture sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Once it's cooled down a little, return the bowl to the stand mixer and whip on high. This should help to stabilize it!