This delicious and super easy Funfetti Frosting can be used on everything from birthday cakes to cookies. It's a smooth and silky vanilla frosting but studded with sprinkles for a bit of crunch and a pop of color. I guarantee you'll love it!

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🌟 Why this is the best Funfetti Frosting recipe
- It tastes so much better than a box mix. Once you have made this homemade funfetti frosting recipe, you will never go back. Store-bought, boxed funfetti frostings taste so synthetic and overly sweet by comparison, whilst this is delicious!
- It has the best texture. The sprinkles buttercream frosting is perfectly smooth and silky but with that sweet pop of crunch from the funfetti sprinkles. It is also stable enough to pipe so you can decorate your cakes like a pro.
- It is so easy! This is a fun twist on my American buttercream recipe. With just six simple funfetti frosting ingredients, you won't need any trips to the grocery store to make this frosting. What's more, this funfetti frosting only takes 10 minutes to prepare.
- It's super versatile. You can use it in so many ways, including frosting funfetti cake or other layer cakes, on cupcakes, cookies, or brownies. Or, just eat it with a spoon. You can also easily customize this funfetti buttercream frosting recipe with different sprinkles.
📝 Ingredient notes
- Unsalted butter - I always use 82% fat content European-style butter, which needs to be softened before use. This usually takes around an hour out of the fridge.
- Powdered sugar adds both sweetness and structure. But unlike some frosting recipes, I do not use a huge amount, so the sweetness is not overpowering or sickly. Make sure you sift the powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar) before use to remove any lumps and ensure a silky smooth frosting. My sugar guide explains the different types of sugar used in baking.
- Vanilla extract - I prefer using this to vanilla essence, which can taste synthetic. You'll love the natural flavor of this vanilla buttercream with sprinkles; it's delicious!
- Salt - This is essential to balance the sweetness and bring out the flavors.
- Heavy cream - For the best results, use a high-quality cream (also known as double cream or heavy whipping cream) with at least 36% fat content.
- Sprinkles - Use your favorite sprinkles or swap them out for chocolate sprinkles if you prefer! You can even get colored sprinkles to theme your dish, like using blue or pink for baby shower desserts. And if you have leftovers, you simply have to make my funfetti cookies.
🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
👩🍳 How to make Funfetti Frosting
- Prepare your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and cream the butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes until it is pale and fluffy.
- Turn the speed down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Once fully incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium-high speed and whip the mixture for about 4 minutes, or until it is light, fluffy, and has increased in volume.
- Add the vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream with the running mixer and whip until smooth and silky (around one more minute).
- Finally, mix in the sprinkles just for a few seconds until thoroughly combined. Transfer the homemade funfetti frosting to a piping bag and decorate your baked goods as desired.
💡 Top Tip: The frosting should have the perfect pipeable fluffy texture. If, for some reason, it is too thick, add some more cream - a tablespoon at a time. If the frosting is too thin, chill it first for 30 minutes, however if it is still too thin, add more powdered sugar - a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
❄️ Storage and Freezing
The texture of this funfetti frosting is best straight after making it when it is at room temperature and freshly whipped. Use the frosting immediately or store it at room temperature in a piping bag for a few hours. Otherwise, store it in the refrigerator and use it within 3-4 days. Take it out of the fridge ahead of time before use and bring it back to room temperature. I also recommend whipping it up again in the stand mixer before piping.
You can also freeze the funfetti frosting in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Once it is at room temperature, let it defrost overnight, then whip it in the stand mixer for a minute or two.
🔍 Troubleshooting
The butter separated from the frosting - This can happen if the butter is too cold. Warm the bowl by briefly placing it over a saucepan of simmering water to help soften the butter, and then continue mixing off the heat. You can also use a hairdryer for this step!
The frosting is grainy - It is likely that your butter was not soft enough for the sugar to dissolve into it. Continue whipping with the paddle attachment until it becomes smoother. You can also add one tablespoon of heavy cream to help it along.
The frosting is too runny - Have you made buttercream soup? This can happen if the butter is too warm. To fix runny buttercream, put it in the fridge for 30 minutes and then continue whipping to see if it has improved. If not, add a small amount of sifted powdered sugar - one teaspoon at a time.
The sprinkles bleed into the buttercream - Make sure you buy sprinkles with confectioner’s glaze in the ingredient list. This coats the sprinkles and prevents color bleeding. Also, add sprinkles only at the very add.
🎓 Expert tips
- The temperature and texture of the butter are critical when making any buttercream frosting. It needs to be softened enough so that when you press your finger into it, it leaves an indent. But if it is melted, you will end up with buttercream soup.
- When adding the powdered sugar, turn the mixer speed down to avoid creating a powdered sugar cloud in your kitchen.
- To get your buttercream really silky, mix it by hand with a rubber spatula right at the end for a few minutes.
- Add the rainbow sprinkles right at the end, and avoid overmixing. Stop as soon as they are combined into the funfetti frosting.
- The quantities in this recipe will generously frost 12 cupcakes. It also makes the best frosting for funfetti cake. To frost cakes, you will need approximately 2x this recipe for a 6-inch cake, 2.5x for a 7-inch cake, and 3x for an 8-inch cake, but this will depend on how much frosting you prefer and any other fillings you might be using.
- If you plan on piping funfetti frosting, make sure you use a nozzle with a large enough tip.
- Remember that any buttercream frosting will melt in warm temperatures and harden in cold temperatures. It is best at room temperature.
🥣 Equipment Notes
Always weigh your ingredients by the gram with a Digital scale for accuracy. Baking is about precision, and you will always get better results this way. You will also need a Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to whip the frosting until it is smooth and silky. You could also use an electric hand mixer for this stage.
❓Recipe FAQs
They can if they do not contain confectioner’s glaze which gives them a coating and prevents the color bleeding into this funfetti cake frosting.
Homemade frostings need to be refrigerated if they contain dairy. You can also freeze homemade frosting recipes.
Yes, after making the buttercream frosting, mix in the sprinkles until they are fully combined. It makes the best icing for funfetti cake!
🧁 More Frostings
If you enjoyed this funfetti frosting recipe, try some of these other delicious frostings and fillings next!
Funfetti Frosting
Equipment
- Digital scale
Ingredients
Funfetti Frosting
- 350 g (1½ cups) Unsalted butter 82% fat content European-style butter, use it softened
- 540 g (4½ cups) Powdered sugar sifted
- 1½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 5 tablespoons Heavy cream 36% fat content
- 170 g (1 cups) Sprinkles
US customary cup measurement is an indicative figure only. Measure the ingredients with a digital scale by weight (gram). Baking is art but also science which requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
- Using your stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the room-temperature butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes until it becomes light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Add in the powdered sugar tablespoon by tablespoon on low speed, then turn the mixer back on medium-high speed and whip it for another 4 minutes or until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and increases in volume.
- Then, add the vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream and continue whipping for another minute until it is smooth and silky.
- Lastly, mix in the sprinkles just for a few seconds until thoroughly combined.
- The frosting should have the perfect pipeable fluffy texture. If, for some reason, it is too thick, add some more cream (1 tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (1 tablespoons at a time).
- Note that this Funfetti frosting texture is best straight after making it when the butter is at the right temperature (room temperature), and the mixture is freshly whipped. I like to use the frosting immediately or store it at room temperature in a piping bag for a few hours. If stored in the refrigerator, you will need to bring it back to room temperature before using it and might need to give it another minute or two to whip in the stand mixer to increase the volume again.
Notes
- Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
- Use high fat (36%) heavy cream and good quality high fat (82%) butter for making buttercream.
- It is key to use high quality vanilla for the best flavor, feel free to try my homemade vanilla extract.
- Make sure you read my Expert tips section above to maximize your success. A short recipe alone is not able to cover all the necessary details, and science behind baking.
- The temperature and texture of the butter are key when making buttercream. Wait until it is soft, however, avoid last-minute microwaving.
- When adding the powdered sugar, reduce the speed on the mixer to avoid creating a huge powder sugar cloud.
- I recommend the paddle attachment to avoid unnecessary air bubbles. To get your buttercream fully silky, without air bubbles, mix the cream at the end by hand with a rubber spatula for a few minutes.
- Add the rainbow sprinkles at the very end, avoid overmixing.
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