Vegan Funfetti Cake is super soft, moist and full of colorful sprinkles of course! Made in just 1 bowl with simple ingredients.
What’s not to love about a colorful sprinkle-filled cake? I absolutely love Funfetti desserts (see also Funfetti Vegan Cupcakes), and this cake is sure to make all your birthday dreams come true!
The best thing is how easy it is to make, in just 1 bowl with 10 everyday ingredients (+ the frosting). You will have a beautiful, celebratory cake in no time at all! I developed this cake from my Vegan Coconut Cake because I loved it so much.
The sprinkles I used are from Sweetapolita. They have a variety of vegan friendly sprinkles that are adorable. But you can use any vegan rainbow sprinkles you like.
Tips & Substitutions
- I used all purpose flour here, but if you want an even softer cake, use cake flour instead.
- A quality gluten free flour mix would probably work well, but I haven’t tested it.
- I used canola oil in the cake, but you can substitute melted coconut oil if desired, or melted vegan butter. Other neutral oils may work as well.
- It’s fine to use another non-dairy milk in place of soy, such as almond or coconut milk.
Want more vegan cake recipes?
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
- Vegan Lemon Cake
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Strawberry Cake
Vegan Funfetti Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup canola oil *or melted coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles
- 1 Recipe Vegan Vanilla Frosting
- more sprinkles, for topping (1/4 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray two 8 or 9 inch cake pans with oil. I also like to place a circle of round parchment paper in the bottom to prevent the cakes from sticking to the pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and sugar together until well combined.
- To the same bowl, pour in the oil, soy milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Mix with the dry ingredients using a large spoon until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, or the cake won't be as soft. Fold in 1/2 cup sprinkles.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then carefully pop them out and place on a cooling rack. You must allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare a batch of Vegan Vanilla Frosting. Once the cakes have cooled, frost as desired and top with more sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you want the cake to be even more soft, use cake flour in place of all purpose flour.ย
- I used canola oil, but you can use melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter. Other neutral flavored oils may work as well. If using coconut oil, make sure the soy milk is not too cold or it will make the coconut oil solidify when you are mixing the batter.
- May use almond milk or another non-dairy milk in place of soy.
- I used vegan sprinkles from Sweetapolita. They are my favorite! You can use any vegan friendly rainbow colored sprinkles.
Made this for my birthday and was a hit! Sooo delicious and the vegan frosting was also amazing. I didn’t have sprinkles, and it turned out just the same. The addition of the vinegar makes it perfect!
If I use cake flour, do I omit the baking powder? Or just the corn starch? Thank you!
Just the cornstarch. You still need the baking powder. Enjoy!
Hi. I just baked this cake using cake flour but didnโt omit the cornstarch. Will that be an issue?
No, it will be just fine. Enjoy!
10/10 recommend. Our non-vegan family members loved it and requested it for their bday. Iโm making it this weekend for my sonโs 4th bday party instead of buying a cake because itโs just that good. Make it!!
Happy birthday to your son, Katy! I appreciate your fantastic feedback and review! I hope the party was great!
Has anyone used part applesauce for the oil and had success? Thanks
Hi Nora,
My nephew and niece are allergic to eggs but dairy milk is no issue. Can I use regular milk here? Same amount?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah. I’ve never made this with regular milk, however, it should work! Yes, same amount. Enjoy!
Excellent recipe. Everyone loved the cake. Im making this cake again today but would like to make this cake in a 13×9 pan. How long should I bake the cake for?
Excellent cake! Everyone loved it. How long do you suggest baking the cake for if you use a 9×13 pan?
Hi Shreya. I’m glad you are loving the cake! It will take about 45 minutes in the oven for a 9×13. When a toothpick comes out clean in the middle itโs done. Enjoy!
I tried to make this using gluten free flour blend incl xantham gum and it turned out very dense, more like a cookie cake. Tasted great but need it fluffierโฆ any suggestions? Would aquafaba help? I will try tonight without the added cornstarch.
It’s hard to say what could be improved or what went wrong because I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour. What you could try doing instead is make my gluten free vanilla cake and add funfetti sprinkles to the batter.
Could I make this ahead of time and freeze it until ready to use?
Yes, you can. You can either freeze the cake layers individually, or the whole frosted cake if needed.
Need to make this Gluten free. Can I use almond flour and if so, how much? Also should I omit the corn starch if using Almond Flour?
No, I don’t recommend using almond flour because it does not absorb liquid the same way and your cake will end up soggy. It’s best to use a quality gluten free flour mix instead.
How will the cake stay if I bake and leave overnight to frost the next day? Iโve never made a vegan cake before so not sure if it will dry out or get hard. Loved the recipe tho, I was amazed at how good the batter tasted!!
The cake will be fine baking a day ahead of frosting it. You can store it at room temperature for a day, but the refrigerator is fine if you like. Enjoy! Happy baking!
Love your recipes! What number of pans and what baking time would you suggest for 6 inch pans?
You would likely need 3 6-inch pans. Try baking them for about 18 to 22 minutes. Hope this helps!
Do I need to add the cornflour if I use cake flour?
No, you do not.
Do you recommend omitting corn flour if cake flour is used?
Yes, you don’t need to add it if using cake flour.
Am I able to make a 1/4 sheet using this recipe? Iโve made it before with circle pans and loved it!
Yes, you can make a sheet cake out of this recipe. Use a 11×17 inch pan and bake for around 20 minutes or so, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. So glad you love the recipe!
Hi there! Will this recipe work for cupcakes too? I know that you have a funfetti cupcake recipe as well, but I want the easiness of this recipe and don’t want to whip the aquafaba ๐
Thank you!
Yes! Oh I hear you, I love how easy this recipe is. ๐ Just fill cupcake liners about 1/2 full and bake for 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!
Hi there. I can’t wait to make this, but can I sub agave for the sugar? Or will that throw off the recipe?
Thanks!
Hi! Yes, agave will likely throw off the recipe because it’s adding a lot of liquid. I haven’t tried it. I’d suggest sticking with some sort of granulated sugar for best results.
This cake was really easy to make and super fun and pretty! My kids loved it! I think I messed something up though, because my cakes came out a little dense and flat. More like a giant sugar cookie. My oven runs a little hot, so maybe that was the issue. Im wondering if adding some apple sauce or boiling water might make a difference to make it more moist? It didnโt really matter though, it was still delicious!
I’m so glad you and your kids loved the cake, Kendra! It sounds like the batter might have been overworked or your baking powder was expired if the cakes didn’t rise. Only mix the batter until the ingredients are just incorporated and check the expiry date on your baking powder. A kitchen scale will also help you accurately measure the ingredients. I hope this helps!
Hi! Can this recipe be used in a Bundt pan?
Iโve never tried it but it should work. The cake should take about 50 minutes or a bit longer to bake, so check with a toothpick to make sure it gets cooked through but not overcooked. Hope you enjoy it!
Can I substitute arrowroot powder for the corn starch?
Yes, arrowroot works. Enjoy!
Thanks for the quick reply! Making this today for my daughter’s 15th birthday tomorrow. I’ve made this cake for both my daughter’s birthdays since going vegan a few years ago. They ONLY want this cake, they say it’s the best cake EVER! ๐ Thanks for your great recipes!!
You are welcome! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy birthday to your daughter! Have fun and enjoy!
I have been baking vegan for my husband for almost 30 years. Finding a cake recipe where the layers don’t sink or taste gummy has been a decades-long challenge. This cake was delicious! I used cake flour and didn’t see the note about omitting the cornstarch until the pans were in the oven, so they didn’t rise as much as I would have liked. The flavor – which is more important to me – was great. I’ll make this again and search out some of the other recipes on this site. (I also made the vegan buttercream frosting, which was a perfect complement to the cake.)
I am thrilled that you loved the cake! I have lots of fun cakes to check out! Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review! Enjoy the cakes!
Hi! Everything tastes delicious but the cake didn’t rise as much as the german chocolate cake. Is there supposed to be baking soda in this recipe too? I also brought sugar down to one cup and used brown sugar. Delish!
I would say this cake probably doesn’t rise quite as much as my chocolate cakes, but it should rise quite a bit. Actually, reducing the sugar does affect the texture of the cake. Brown sugar is also heavier than regular sugar, so that may have caused it not to rise as much. No baking soda needed here. I would try all granulated sugar and see if that fixes it.
Hello Nora, could you please give a recommendation on what I could use in place of the sugar? I’m hoping to use the recipe for my daughter’s smash cake for her first birthday
Hi Nora,
Both time Iโve tried this recipe my cake turned out super hard and dry. What could I be doing wrong here?
It’s hard to know exactly what’s going wrong without being there, but it sounds like the batter is being over-mixed, the cakes are over-baked, or your oven is too hot. You only want to mix the batter until all of the ingredients just come together, then carefully fold the sprinkles in after. If you think it might be your oven, try baking the cakes for less time or at 325ยบF instead. I hope this can help for next time!
Hi Nora! I am trying out this recipe today and Iโm so excited!! I do have a question though. If I use cake flour instead of the AP flour, do I still need to add the 2 tbsp of corn starch? Also what would be the new measurement for the cake flour? Thanks in advance!ย
Hi Kimberly. If you use cake flour, leave out the corn starch. Use the same amount of cake flour as instructed for the all purpose flour. Have fun with the cake! Happy baking!
How would this work for cupcakes?
You can make cupcakes using this recipe or using my Funfetti Vegan Cupcakes recipe. The cupcakes will need to bake for about 20-24 minutes. Enjoy!
Tested this recipe tonight (as cupcakes) and it got rave reviews from my husband and stepson. Will be making it again this weekend (as a cake) for my little oneโs first birthday party!
Hi Jane. How fun! I’m glad the cupcakes were a hit! Happy birthday to your little one! Thanks for your wonderful feedback!
Hi, can I make
This cake in a loaf pan??
You can, but you’ll likely need 2 loaf pans to fit all of the batter.
I love this cake and used the recomme fed sprinkles however it is so sweet. How can I alter the sweetness please?
Hi Sophie. Itโs a sweet cake! I havenโt tried it with less sugar, however, reducing the sugar may throw off the recipe. If you try it with reduced sugar, let me know how it goes for you!
Hi Nora, I did reduce the sugar by half a cup and I also used white caster sugar rather than brown sugar and it made a big difference (less sweet). I’ve made this three times now and it’s my go-to birthday cake! ๐
Hi Sophie. Thanks for getting back to me on how the cake turned out using less sugar. I’m so glad it turned out great! I’m thrilled this is now your to go birthday cake!
I only have white vinegar. Could I use brag instead of Apple cider vinegar?
Hi Kelly. You can sub white vinegar 1 to 1 for apple cider, no problem!
Hi! Can i use lemon instead?
That should work!