Info
- Cook time: 50 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 to 15 servings
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pans
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
For the Frosting
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 large egg whites
- 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- Additional sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
Cake
- Set the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with butter. Line each pan with parchment paper, then butter the parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just incorporated. Fold in the sprinkles.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are golden at the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and cool for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the pans and return them to the racks to cool completely.
Frosting
- While the cake layers cool, combine the sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixing bowl set over (not inside) a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved (it should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whisk the egg white mixture on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and continue whisking the meringue until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool to the touch, about 7 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to medium low. Add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If the frosting appears to separate after all of the butter has been added, simply increase the speed to medium high and beat until smooth again.) Add the vanilla and salt and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Assembly
- Trim the tops of the cooled cake layers with a knife so they are flat. Place the bottom layer on a cake stand or platter and spread evenly with about 1 cup of the frosting. Place the second layer on top of the first and spread evenly with about 1 cup frosting. Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, using an offset spatula to create large swirls. Decorate with sprinkles as desired.
