How to put sprinkles on sides of cake

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This delicious funfetti cake comes from my friend Lisa Kolb Ruland. Lisa is a CIA-trained pastry chef who has made a name for herself in some of New York City’s top bakeshops, and she is also the editor of Unpeeled, one of the loveliest food blogs out there (if you haven’t made her pecan shortbread cookies, what are you waiting for?!). When Lisa’s sprinkle cake popped up in my inbox a few weeks ago, my daughter was sitting beside me, looking over my shoulder and said, “Mom, you have to make that.” I didn’t need much convincing. In Lisa’s words, “Some might say that, technically speaking, rainbow sprinkles do not have much taste or flavor. But to me? They taste like something close to joy. They taste like fun. And who doesn’t need a little of that right now?”

What You’ll Need

For the Cake Layers

For the Frosting and Sprinkles

Step-By-Step Instructions

Make the Cake Layers

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl once during this process to make sure everything is evenly combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Don’t worry if the batter looks curdled.

Mix in the vanilla, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about one minute. Scrape the bowl and briefly mix again.

On low speed, alternately add the whisked dry ingredients in three additions and the buttermilk in two: dry, wet, dry, wet, dry.

Again, don’t worry if the batter looks curdled.

When everything is just incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer.

Scrape the bowl as necessary, and then add the sprinkles.

Fold by hand using a spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and use the back of the spatula to smooth the batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and set, a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, and the edges are pulling away from the pan.

Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for about 20 minutes. When the pans are cool enough to handle, run an offset spatula or a knife around the rim, and turn the cakes out onto the rack. Let fully cool.

Make the Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy and evenly combined, about 30 seconds.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar.

Beat in the vanilla and salt, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

Frost the Cake

Once the cake layers are cool, use a long serrated knife to cut off the domed top of the cake layers so that they are flat. Discard (or snack on) the domed top. Repeat with the additional layer, and set aside.

Put one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter with the cut-side up. Put about 1 cup of the frosting in the center and, using the the back of an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly just to the edge of the cake.

Add the second cake layer on top of the first with the cut-side down on the frosting (so that the bottom of the cake is on top). Scoop about 1 cup of the frosting onto the center of the cake and spread it to the edge.

Put a 1/4-cup blob of frosting on the side of the cake, and use your offset spatula to spread it over a section of cake. Rotate the cake stand as you go. Repeat until the entire side of the cake is covered. Don’t worry about making the frosting too perfect; you will smooth it out again later, and the sprinkles will cover any imperfections. Place the cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes to set.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator. To smooth out any bumps and create a “sticky” surface for the sprinkles, hold an offset spatula under hot water for a few seconds to warm it. Tap off any excess water, and then slowly run the hot spatula over an area of frosting until it is smooth and glossy. Continue this process over the entire cake. Then, gather a handful of sprinkles in the palm of your hand and gently press them into the side of the cake, working from the base of the cake to the top edge, opening your palm as you go. Rotate the cake stand in your hand and repeat, going all the way around.

Gather another large handful of sprinkles and sprinkle them over the top of the cake. (I like to use a wide metal spatula to gently press the sprinkles into the frosting to even out any remaining bumps.)

Scrape any “fallen” sprinkles off of the cake stand and wipe the edges of the cake stand clean with a damp paper towel, if necessary.

Slice and celebrate.

Note: I have simplified Lisa’s cake decorating method a bit here. If you’d like to see how a professional pastry chef frosts and decorates a cake, check out Lisa’s excellent tutorial here.

You May Also Like

• Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Chocolate Cupcakes with Creamy Chocolate Frosting
• Vanilla Birthday Cake with Old-Fashioned Vanilla Buttercream
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Top 16 how to put sprinkles on sides of cake edited by Family Cuisine