Fruity Pebbles Cake Recipe

a rainbow sprinkle cake on a pink cake stand.

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 35

Chill Time: 2 10

Total Time: 3 45

Servings: slices

Calories: 1067kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

A colorful and playful Fruity Pebbles cake with moist funfetti layers, rich Fruity Pebbles frosting, and crunchy cereal topping--perfect for birthdays or celebrations!

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
3 8-inch Round Cake Pan(s)
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Piping Tip Set (optional)

Ingredients

For the Cake

39.75 ounces white cake mix (3 (13.25-ounce) boxes)*
1⅓ cups buttermilk room temperature**
14 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (1¾ sticks)
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs room temperature
2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup rainbow sprinkles ***

For the Frosting

5 cups powdered sugar
1½ cup unsalted butter slightly melted (3 sticks)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal ****

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
Mix the cake mix, buttermilk, butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.
39.75 ounces white cake mix, 1⅓ cups buttermilk, 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Gently fold in the sprinkles until fully mixed.
¾ cup rainbow sprinkles
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (about 676 grams per pan).
Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes before removing cakes from pans then placing on wire racks to finish cooling.
Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap each layer in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up.

For the Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5 cups powdered sugar, 1½ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For Assembly

Remove the cakes from the fridge and cut the dome tops off to level, if needed.
Place a thin layer of frosting (about 2 tablespoons) in the middle of a cake board or cake plate, then place one cake (cut side facing up) on top of that frosting.
Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that first layer, smooth it out evenly, then place the second layer (cut side facing up again) on top of the first layer.
Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that second layer, smooth it out evenly, then place the third layer (bottom side facing up) on top of that frosted second layer.
Frost a thin layer of frosting around the top and sides of the cake, then freeze for 10 minutes to firm up.
Remove about 1½ cups of white frosting and place it into an icing bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip. Set aside.
Stir 2 cups of Fruity Pebbles cereal into the remaining white frosting.
3 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal
Frost the chilled cake with the Fruity Pebbles frosting, using a cake scraper to smooth it out.
Gently press about ¾ cup of the remaining Fruity Pebbles onto the bottom border of the cake.
Use the white icing in the icing bag with the Wilton 1M tip on it to frost swirls around the top border of the cake. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Fruity Pebbles cereal.

Notes

*Yellow cake mix also works. Or use a funfetti cake mix and skip the added sprinkles.

**Can substitute milk + 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice.

***Use the jimmies style of sprinkles (long skinny type), not the round ball type (nonpareils). The nonpareils tend to bleed color into the batter. Don't try to use cereal here; it will muddy the batter as well.

****Other colorful cereals, like Rainbow Krispies, Froot Loops, or Trix, also work, though you may wish to crush them.

Tips:

Use room-temperature eggs and buttermilk for a smoother batter.
Fold in the sprinkles gently to avoid a dense, chewy cake.
Divide the batter evenly for uniform layers.
Let the cakes cool completely before wrapping to avoid condensation.
Whip the frosting for a full 5 minutes for maximum fluff.
Crumb-coat with frosting for a cleaner finish.
Avoid crushing the Fruity Pebbles when decorating the borders.

Make-Ahead: The cake layers can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days; assemble just before serving.

Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container or cake dome at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition