Confetti Cake Truffles
Fluffy vanilla cake mixed with perfect vanilla buttercream and sprinkles, coated in confetti candy melts. These truffles are as easy as they are delicious!
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Fun fact: the first time I ever made cake pops was when a cake I was making didn’t turn out right. Huge crack down the middle. So, my best friend and I dug our hands in, crumbled it up, and mixed it up with the frosting instead of trying to salvage it.
Wow. Game changer.
In fact, I don’t think we even dipped it in candy melts. We just ate the cake balls on their own. But they were just sooooo good. Like, why do we even bother to make these fancy cakes when we can just crumble them up on purpose and they actually last longer because the frosting and candy coating seal the cake?
In fact, I’m very, very tempted to turn all cake leftovers into cake balls from here on out—because you can freeze them and they still taste amazing. No more overdoing it on cake that’s starting to taste stale because I don’t want it to go to waste. Just stir, scoop, and dip.
Why this recipe works
The vanilla cake is one of my favorites. You can use any vanilla cake you like, but I knew this one has a very fluffy, almost cake-box-like texture that is ideal for a cake truffle. You want something flavorful but not overly sweet, since you’ll be adding both frosting and candy coating, so this cake was perfect for that. This is a lemon-free version of my lemonade cake, and the cupcake version can be found here.
You can add the sprinkles to the batter (like I did) or when you mix in the frosting. I had extra confetti cake batter, so I had not choice but to bake the sprinkles right into the cake. Which worked just fine but isn’t standard and could run the risk of a grayish filling if over mixed. Usually, you bake a vanilla cake and add the sprinkles with the frosting. Both options are just as easy and give that perfect confetti cake flavor.
I use extra vanilla in my vanilla buttercream, meaning a more flavorful result. It makes it the perfect accompaniment to the confetti cake because it’s just classic. Finally, I found these adorable confetti candy melts that were the perfect coating. I used Sweet Tooth Fairy’s Meltables from Michael’s, but Wilton’s work just as well. The melts were more for looks than taste, as they tasted the same as the ones I dipped in pink (that recipe is coming soon—ice cream cake pops!). But it’s just so cute that I consider it a main reason this recipe is so great. And finally, you NEED more sprinkles on top! Not just for looks, but for that confetti cake taste and crunch.
Key ingredients
Cake flour. You can make your own. For this recipe, you’d want to use 4 1/2 tablespoons (1/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon) cornstarch and add that to 1 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons flour. Sift and whisk twice before using in the cake.
Baking powder. Be sure it’s fresh—not open for longer than 6 months (regardless of the expiration date on the box).
Salt. Sea salt is ideal.
Butter. European butter is best for this recipe, as it has less water.
Sugar. Use granulated sugar for a classic yellow cake.
Eggs. Use fresh, large, room temperature eggs.
Oil. Just a tiny bit of oil (avocado, grape seed, or canola) helps keep this cake moist.
Vanilla. Use pure extract, not imitation.
Whole milk. Whole milk will make a better cake.
Vanilla buttercream. You only need a cup, so you can make a reduced recipe (1/4 would be about right) or use the extras for something else. You can also use any frosting recipe you like—like marshmallow!
Sprinkles. Jimmies are the most classic tasting here, but you can use any sprinkles you like as long as they’re not too thick or large.
Candy melts. I used confetti, but you can use any color you’d like!
How to make confetti cake truffles
Make the cake
1. Sift and whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 2-3 minutes on medium high.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat on medium 30-60 seconds after each addition.
4. Beat in oil and vanilla. Beat on medium 30 seconds.
5. Alternate adding flour and milk on low. Beat on low just until combined. Don’t worry about some lumps.
6. Bake. Bake 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just some moist crumbs.
Assemble
7. While the cake cools, make the buttercream. You can also make the buttercream ahead of time.
8. Crumble completely cooled cake. Be sure it’s not chunky—you want it all as evenly small as possible so you get a round cake ball.
9. Stir in buttercream and sprinkles. Stirring in the sprinkles at this point keeps them larger and more noticeable, but you could also fold them in with the last addition of flour when making the cake.
10. Shape and chill cake balls. You’ll shape them into rough balls, chill, then re-shape them into perfect spheres after they’ve chilled.
11. Dip into melted candy melts. Keep the tray in the fridge and just dip a couple at a time.
12. Decorate immediately with sprinkles.
Let cool and enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Split up your work!
This may sound like an intense recipe, but it’s really just a handful of steps with a good deal of cooling and chilling involved. To make things easier, I suggest making your cake and buttercream the day before. You could also roll the cake balls and chill them overnight, as long as you cover them well (with plastic wrap or in an airtight container). That way, there’s less to do in one single day.
Can I use a different cake recipe?
Yes! Most recipes call for boxed cake, but I just can’t bring myself to make that when I have such an easy homemade cake that I love so much. You could use any yellow cake that you love or even lemon cake. My bakery style cake is actually my favorite vanilla cake, but it’s much more moist and a little old-fashioned-y dense, so it may not be as suited to cake truffles as this fluffier cake.
Can I use a different frosting?
Yes! I’ve made these with marshmallow frosting and it’s so very delicious. Like, I almost wrote the recipe for that version instead because it’s such a winning combination with the confetti cake. You could also use chocolate, but be prepared for a brownish gray color.
How do I get the filling round?
You need to shape it twice. I’ve found that with a softer cake like this, it’s difficult to get it perfectly round when you first mix in the frosting. But if you chill it then roll it again, it gets almost perfectly round. Just avoid freezing it, as that not only makes it difficult to do the final shaping but also makes it difficult to dip, not always making friends with the coating layer.
Make your own cake flour!
I often make my own, because it’s so easy. One cup of cake flour is just 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 7/8 cup all-purpose flour. Our, in simpler terms, 2 tablespoons cornstarch scooped into a 1 cup measuring cup then you scoop enough all-purpose flour over that to equal 1 cup (be sure to level it off with the back of a knife). Or, for a more mathematically accurate option for this exact recipe: use 4 1/2 tablespoons (1/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon) cornstarch and add that to 1 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons flour. Sift and whisk twice before using in the cake.
What kind of sprinkles should I use?
Any kind! I prefer jimmies, because they’re the most classic confetti cake sprinkle. However, you can use any kind you like. Nonpareils are another good option, but be careful not to mix too much or the color could bleed. I don’t recommend super large sprinkles or those jumbo nonpareils, as they are just uncomfortable to bite into with such a lovely bite of cake truffle.
How to I keep the candy coating from turning grainy?
Keep it warm! I don’t own a microwave, so I had not choice but to melt my candy on a double boiler (a saucepan filled with 2 inches water, brought to a boil, then turned down to low). I just kept the bowl on the double boiler at low, stirring it every so often so it stayed in a melted state.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making these truffles. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a fluffy cake)
All-rubber spatula (this makes scraping the bowl easier so the batter and frosting doesn’t get all over a wooden handle!)
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Confetti Cake Truffles
- prep time: 30-35 minutes
- bake time: 35-40 minutes
- chill time: 2-3 hours
- total time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
servings: 36-48
Ingredients:
for the yellow cake
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (244g) cake flour, spooned then leveled
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) sea salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups (335g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (27g) avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon (13g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk, room temperature
to assemble
- 1 cup vanilla buttercream (or your favorite frosting–marshmallow works well here, too!)
- ½ cup (about 150g) sprinkles (like rainbow jimmies), plus more for decorating
- 12 ounces (340g) candy melts (any color–I used confetti)
Instructions:
make the yellow cake
- Preheat oven to 325F/165C (350F/175C if at high elevation). Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan (or use baking spray).
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a large fine mesh sieve to sift then whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter on high until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as necessary, at least once.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium until light and fluffy (about 30 seconds) and scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and oil and mix on medium until well blended.
- Add half of the flour and mix on low until just barely blended. Add the milk and mix on low until just barely blended. Add the remaining flour and mix on low until just barely blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix on low another 3-5 seconds, just to mix it all. Don't’ worry if there are a few streaks of flour.
- Pour into your prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Check early, as baking times can vary by oven and climate.
- Let cake cool in the pan completely.
assemble
- While the cake cools, make your buttercream (if not made ahead).
- Once the cake is cool, use your hands or a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Try to get it all crumbled up well so you don’t have any large chunks–those will make it hard to make a round cake truffle. Add the buttercream and sprinkles and mix on low or stir gently until fully combined. It shouldn’t come together like bread dough, but it should be evenly mixed. If you squeeze some together in your hand, it should stay. If it’s falling apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons buttercream.
- Use a small cookie scoop to get about 1 ½ tablespoons cake. Roll between your palms to create as round a ball as you can get. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round–you can fix that after they chill for a bit. Place on a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, until firm.
- Once the cake balls are firm, roll again between your palms to get them as round and smooth as possible. Place the tray back into the fridge while you prepare the candy melts.
- Melt candy coating in the microwave according to directions (or use a double boiler). Be very careful not to overheat it, as it will be ruined. You can keep it warm while you dip the truffles by placing the bowl over a saucepan with 1” simmering water over lowest heat setting.
- Line a baking pan with parchment and place your decorating sprinkles in a shallow bowl so you’re ready to dip.
- Take just 2-3 cake balls out of the fridge at a time. Use two forks to gently dip each ball, one at a time, into the coating. Toss until completely coated. Use the forks to lift it out and tap excess coating off. You can use the second fork to help scrape it off the bottom.
- Gently slide the coated cake truffle off the fork and onto the parchment lined pan. Immediately top with sprinkles.
- Repeat until all cake truffles are dipped. Refrigerate about 1 hour or freeze about 20 minutes to set the coating.
Enjoy!
Cake truffles should be stored in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for 3-5 days, in the fridge 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer 6-8 weeks.
*If your butter has become shiny or oily, put it back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until it firms up a bit (not hard) and is matte in appearance.