30-Minute Air Fryer Funfetti Cake with Buttercream
A vibrant vanilla cake studded with rainbow sprinkles, baked quickly in the air fryer for tender crumb and convenient timing. The funfetti sprinkles provide nostalgic sweetness and visual appeal, making this ideal for children's parties, casual celebrations, or anyone seeking a whimsical dessert without conventional oven heat. This air fryer version delivers faster baking than traditional methods while maintaining moisture through sour cream and milk.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅝ cup all-purpose cake flourall-purpose floursamestructure
neutral
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large egg whites
- 3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sprinkles, funfetti or rainbowno sprinklesremove entirelyplain_vanilla
vegan_possible
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttercream frosting, homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- 1
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
- 2
In another bowl, mix butter, egg whites, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk until well combined.
- 3
Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in sprinkles.
- 4
Spray an air fryer-safe cake pan with cooking spray and pour batter until two-thirds full.
- 5
Air fry at 320 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 6
Cool completely before frosting and decorating.
Tips
Use room temperature butter and eggs for even mixing and better rise. Cold ingredients can create dense pockets in the batter.
Don't overmix the batter after combining wet and dry ingredients. Stop as soon as streaks disappear to avoid tough cake.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Unfrosted cake can be frozen up to 1 month wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Bake cake up to 1 day ahead. Frost and decorate no more than 4 hours before serving for best frosting appearance.
Serve at room temperature. Cut with a warm, dry knife for clean slices.
Common Mistakes
Overmixing batter creates dense, tough cake; stop mixing when streaks of flour disappear.
Using cold butter and eggs prevents proper emulsification and results in lumpy batter and uneven crumb.
Filling pan more than two-thirds full causes batter to overflow in air fryer basket.
Substitutions
neutral
vegan_possible
FAQ
Can I use an air fryer toaster oven instead?
Yes, but check at 10 minutes as toaster ovens vary significantly. The same 320 F setting applies. Smaller batches may cook faster.
What if I don't have buttercream frosting?
Dust with powdered sugar, use whipped cream, or make simple frosting from butter, powdered sugar, and milk or cream.
How long can I keep frosted cake?
Refrigerate frosted cake up to 3 days covered. Room temperature storage suitable only 2-3 hours depending on kitchen temperature.