This easy, single layer Funfetti Cake is all the fun of a regular sprinkle cake without all the fuss! This healthy, but seriously delicious, vanilla cake is perfectly dense and chewy, but still light and airy, and speckled with fun rainbow sprinkles. Made in just one baking dish, smothered in your favorite vanilla frosting, and topped with festive sprinkles, this small batch cake is perfect for any occasion! This recipe is made better-for-you as it contains no refined flours or oils and is gluten free, grain free, and dairy free!
What Does This Healthy Funfetti Cake Taste Like?
This Healthier Funfetti Cake tastes almost exactly like a conventional sprinkle cake! It has that perfect cake texture, soft and just perfectly dense, while still being light and springy, and brimming with delicious vanilla flavor. This almond flour cake recipe makes for the perfect buttery texture you want in a cake while being gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. It is just so delicious and perfectly cake-y, I suspect it will fool even the harshest of critics. Especially if you load it up with colorful sprinkles! Top with your favorite vanilla frosting and some festive sprinkles and you’re ready for any celebration! Even if you’re just celebrating the end of a hard day.
What Ingredients Are Used to Make This Grain Free Funfetti Cake?
This Funfetti Cake recipe is made better-for-you as it contains no refined flours or oils. The recipe is “paleo-ish” as it’s gluten free, grain free, and dairy free but sweetened with organic cane sugar instead of my go-to coconut sugar. I attempted this recipe numerous times using a coconut sugar base and, while delicious, the resulting cakes never had that classic vanilla cake flavor. Cane sugar is still a less refined version of white sugar but not strictly paleo-friendly.
Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make this Healthier Funfetti Cake:
- Cane Sugar – Gives the cake the similar sweetness of a conventional vanilla birthday cake but is slightly less refined. I use Whole Sweeteners Organic Cane Sugar.
- Coconut Oil – Gives the cake the perfect soft crumb while keeping the cake dairy free. Use refined coconut oil for a no-coconut flavor.
- Eggs – This cake uses two whole eggs and two egg whites which gives the cake the perfect amount of moisture and lift.
- Vanilla – Gotta have vanilla in a vanilla cake! Two whole teaspoons, in fact. Trust me, it’s the perfect amount!
- Almond Flour – The base flour for the cake and makes the perfect crumb with a delicious buttery flavor. I use Bob’s Super Fine Almond Flour.
- Tapioca Flour – Thickens the dough without making it too dense.
- Baking Powder – Helps the cake rise.
- Nut/Seed Milk – Cakes need to have moisture to keep them from being dry. Use your favorite dairy free milk! I use homemade almond milk. Check out my post here on DIY nut milk.
- Lemon Juice – Is mixed with the nut/seed milk to create a buttermilk effect.
- Sprinkles – I used traditionally dyed sprinkles in the cake and dye free sprinkles on top. If you want to avoid the artificial dyes I highly recommend using this naturally dyed rainbow sprinkle mix, you’ll still get the fun pops of color they will just be less vibrant.
- Frosting – One day I’ll come up with an incredible homemade frosting that’s easy and delicious. Today is not that day. In the meantime, there are a few good store bought options for “healthier” frosting these days. My go-to is Simple Mills, another good brand is Miss Jones.
How Do You Make Healthy Funfetti Cake?
This recipe is super easy to make! The cake batter comes together in about 10 minutes and bakes for about 40 minutes! Which means, theoretically, you can have the prep dishes all cleaned up long before the cake comes out of the oven!
Here’s an overview of the steps.
- Heat oven and prepare baking dish. I prefer an 8 inch square pan, a 9 inch square is also fine but the cake will be thinner.
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Mix lemon juice and nut/seed milk in a small bowl. This creates a buttermilk flavor!
- Mix sprinkles with tapioca this ensures the sprinkles are evenly distributed in the batter and do not sink to the bottom.
- Beat together cane sugar, egg whites, and coconut oil in a large bowl or in the bowl of stand mixer.
- Add in whole eggs, one at a time.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients and nut milk/lemon juice mixture. Mix until just fully incorporated.
- Stir in sprinkles.
- Pour into baking dish.
- Bake!
- Let cool, frost, sprinkle, slice, & ENJOY!
This is best enjoyed the same day. Store any uneaten portions in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or so. Unfrosted cake can be stored in the freezer.
Some Tips Before You Get To Baking
- PLAN AHEAD: I highly recommend using room temperature ingredients, especially the eggs, so try to take them out a few hours before getting ready to bake.
- BATTER PREP: You’ll notice I ask to mix a few of the components separately before making the batter, it does make a few extra (small) dishes, but this ensures the cake turns out just right. So try not to skip those parts, once everything is prepped, making the batter is a breeze!
This healthier Funfetti Cake has all the fun and delicious flavor of a traditional sprinkle cake without all the fuss and made with better-for-you ingredients! It’s the perfect small batch cake to celebrate all the big, little, and in-between moments that are best enjoyed with a side of sprinkle cake.
paleo-ish (gluten free, grain free, and dairy free)
MORE CAKE RECIPES!
- Meyer Lemon Pound Cake (paleo)
- Cake Batter Balls (no bake, vegan, paleo)
- Healthier Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake (paleo, nut free)
SHARE THE LOVE!
If you make this recipe, please spread the love and leave a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see and share your creations! Take a picture of your treat and tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna in your feed or stories and I will share on my account!
Easy Single Layer Funfetti Cake
This healthier Funfetti Cake has all the fun and delicious flavor of a traditional sprinkle cake without all the fuss and made with better-for-you ingredients! It’s the perfect small batch cake to celebrate all the big, little, and in-between moments that are best enjoyed with a side of sprinkle cake.
paleo-ish (gluten free, grain free, and dairy free)
A few quick tips before we get baking:
- I highly recommend using room temperature ingredients, especially the eggs. So try to prepare ahead.
- You'll need a few small bowls to mix some ingredients together before making the batter, try not to skip these steps. Once everything is prepped, putting the cake together is a breeze!
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups (300 grams) almond flour, packed
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) tapioca flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp dairy free milk of choice
- 1 1/2 tsp (6 grams) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles*
- 1 tbsp (7 grams) tapioca flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) cane sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) coconut oil melted and cooled
- 2 eggs, whole room temperature
- 2 egg whites room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cake Toppings
- vanilla frosting of choice
- sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a square 8 or 9 inch baking dish by lining with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the almond flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, baking powder, and salt together until ingredients are evenly distributed, set aside.
In a small bowl mix together the nut/seed milk and lemon juice together, set aside.
In another small bowl mix the sprinkles with 1 tbsp tapioca flour, set aside.
In a large bowl, if mixing by hand, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cane sugar, egg whites, and coconut oil on medium-high until light and frothy.
With the mixer running, add in whole eggs one at a time. Reduce speed to medium, add vanilla, and continue to beat until everything is well combined and bubbly.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add flour mixture and milk/lemon mixture and stir on low speed until just fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once during mixing to ensure batter is well combined and avoid overmixing.
Stir in the sprinkles and pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 38-40 minutes for an 8 inch pan, 34-36 minutes for a 9 inch pan. The cake is done when the top is just golden brown and firm. Use a toothpick poked into the center of the cake to test for doneness if you are unsure. Toothpick should come out clean when cake is done.
Let cool in the baking dish for 10-15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the baking dish, transfer to cooling rack to let cool completely.
Once cool, frost and sprinkle to your heart's content, then ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): 8 inch square pan, offset spatula for frosting, silicone spatula, kitchen scale
Storage: This is best enjoyed the same day. Store any uneaten portions in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or so. Unfrosted cake can be stored in the freezer.
Ingredient Notes:
Sprinkles – I used traditionally dyed sprinkles in the cake and dye free sprinkles on top. If you want to avoid the artificial dyes I highly recommend using the Starfetti rainbow sprinkle mix by Supernatural (on Amazon), you’ll still get the fun pops of color, they will be slightly less vibrant.
Healthier Store Bought Frosting – There are a few good store bought options for “healthier” frosting these days. My go-to is Simple Mills, another good brand is Miss Jones.
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