frosted-sugar-cookie-bundt-cake

Cakes & Cupcakes

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bundt Cake

July 31, 2020

This deliciously soft and tender frosted sugar cookie bundt cake is topped with swoops of silky smooth cream cheese frosting […]

This deliciously soft and tender frosted sugar cookie bundt cake is topped with swoops of silky smooth cream cheese frosting and heaps of colorful rainbow sprinkles. The perfect cake for funfetti lovers of all ages.

I’ve somehow found a seat on the rainbow sprinkle train in the past few weeks and I have no plans of hopping off any time soon. From the looks of it, y’all are happy to go along for the ride. These soft and chewy funfetti sugar cookies were an instant hit and we had some fast fans of these simple, one pan frosted sugar cookie bars. It’s easy to see why. Anything frosted and sprinkled hits the sweet spot for funfetti lovers of all ages. Whether you’re 8 or 80, sprinkles just make people happy. The more the merrier when it comes to sprinkles I always say which leads me to this deliciously simple frosted sugar cookie bundt cake. It’s as bright and cheery as they come and it has all the fun and festive vibes of a fancy layer cake but with half the fuss.

If you are looking for a perfectly moist, soft and tender, can’t-help-but-go-back-for-seconds kinda cake, this. is. it. The cake itself is light and fluffy, perfectly buttery, and not too terribly sweet. It may look plain on the inside but it screams party on the outside with a thick layer of silky smooth cream cheese frosting and heaps of rainbow sprinkles. This cake is as adorable as it is delicious and it’s yours for the making. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

THINGS YOU NEED FOR FROSTED SUGAR COOKIE BUNDT CAKE

Flour. This recipe calls for both all purpose flour and cake flour. Both will work in tandem to give the cake structure and that dense, pound cake like texture that will keep you coming back for another slice. If you don’t have a box of cake flour on hand, read this blog post on how to make your own with just two ingredients.

Butter. This cake has a rich, butter flavor thanks to a generous serving of high quality, unsalted butter. Use the good stuff here bakers  –  it’s worth it. Be sure your butter, eggs and milks are at room temperature before mixing the batter.

Sugar. Can’t have a frosted sugar cookie cake without sugar, now can we?? The cream cheese frosting is on the sweet side so I’ve decreased the sugar content in the actual cake because #balance. For the smoothest, most luscious cream cheese frosting, be sure to sift the confectioner’s sugar.

Eggs. Plenty of eggs help to give this cake the perfect rise and dreamy texture. Make sure to use room temperature eggs for best results.

Half and half + whole milk. I used a mix of the two to create a moist and fluffy cake with the most mouthwatering flavor. Don’t have half and half? Not to worry. Substitute an equal amount of heavy cream.

Baking powder. Baking powder lightens the texture of this frosted sugar cookie cake by enlarging air bubbles within the batter. The texture is perfect. Slightly dense, yet light and fluffy. Always be sure to check the expiration date on your baking powder to make sure it’s fresh.

Salt. Just a pinch helps pull all the flavors together and keeps both the cake and frosting from being overly sweet.

Sprinkles! This recipe calls for a hefty helping of rainbow sprinkles. Let your sweet tooth be the guide and use fewer sprinkles {or more!} depending on your preference. To keep things easy, I usually just grab these rainbow sprinkles  from the grocery store but you can use any variety your sprinkle loving heart desires.

 

 

 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUNDT CAKE

Use room temperature ingredients. For best success, set your butter, eggs, and liquid dairy out until they reach room temperature before mixing the batter. Cold butter is hard to incorporate well into the dry ingredients and this can lead to over mixing. Likewise, room temperature eggs will mix better with the batter and rise more easily. A cake baked with cold eggs can also take longer to bake.

Do not over mix. Pro-tip: go easy on the batter when using an electric mixer, or even the old bowl and whisk method. It’s tempting to crank up the speed up and whip all the ingredients together as quickly as possible. But this can lead to a dense, doughy cake instead of one that has a light and fluffy texture. As a general rule of thumb, once you have added the dry ingredients, only mix until barely incorporated. A few streaks of flour remaining is perfect.

Prep your pan. Nothing is worse than spending time baking up your favorite cake only to find out at the moment of truth that it has stuck to the bottom of the pan. It’s the worst and I’ve been there. Always grease your bundt pan generously and then add a little more for good measure. As long as there aren’t any puddles of non-stick baking spray pooling at the bottom of your bundt pan, you’re good to go. For a few more tips and tricks for the perfect bundt cake every time, check out this post.

Do not over bake. It goes without saying that no one, and I mean no one, likes a dry cake. Begin checking your bundt about ten minutes before the end of the baking cycle and use the toothpick test to check for doneness. The toothpick should come out clean or with just a few crumbs remaining and the top will be a light, golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly near the end of the baking time, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.

TIPS FOR THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

But first, butter. This recipe calls for a higher butter to cream cheese ratio which makes the frosting super smooth and spreadable. And I love that the flavor doesn’t offer up too much tang but a little more sweet. By beating the butter alone and then adding the cream cheese, the frosting will have a smoother finish that is not too stiff.

Sift your powdered sugar. To eliminate any unwanted lumps and clumps in your frosting, sift the confectioner’s sugar first before adding it to the mixing bowl. It takes just an extra sixty seconds but it’s well worth it once you sink your teeth into that super smooth frosting. Not a sifter? Take just ten seconds to whisk your powdered sugar in a bowl to break up any lumps.

Mix until fluffy. Once all of the ingredients are incorporated together I like to run the mixer on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes. This creates a light and airy, super spreadable cream cheese frosting that makes frosting your cake a breeze!

HOW TO STORE YOUR BUNDT CAKE

I just know you’re going to love this frosted sugar cookie cake so much that I can just about guarantee you won’t have a single slice left over. If you do…call me. I’d be glad to take a slice or two off your hands. Extra sprinkles for me please and thank you. I’m happy to report that this sugar cookie cake freezes well, but it should be frozen before frosting for best results. Simply cool the cake completely and wrap the whole cake tightly in two layers of plastic wrap followed by another layer of aluminum foil. Freeze flat for up to three months. To defrost, place the frozen cake out at room temperature until fully defrosted. Add the frosting and sprinkles and tah-dah…dessert is served!

I’m sure you’ve got a long list of to-do’s on your weekend chore list but sometimes you just have to drop everything and bake a bundt that tastes like a giant frosted sugar cookie instead. This cake has all the nostalgic flavors of the store bought goodies we all know and love, but comes with all the joy of baking it from scratch in your very own kitchen. Cue the sprinkles bakers…this frosted sugar cookie bundt is going to be your new favorite thing.

Happy baking!

If you like this Frosted Sugar Cookie Bundt Cake, you’ll also like:

Easy Funfetti Sugar Cookies

The Best Sugar Cookie Bars

Glazed Old Fashioned Donut Cake

Classic Vanilla Pound Cake

A Better Baker: Bundt Cake Basics

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
frosted-sugar-cookie-bundt-cake

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bundt Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Browned Butter Blondie
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 12-14 1x
  • Category: Cakes

Description

This deliciously soft and tender frosted sugar cookie bundt cake is topped with swoops of silky smooth cream cheese frosting and heaps of colorful rainbow sprinkles. The perfect cake for funfetti lovers of all ages.


Ingredients

Scale

For Cake

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup cake flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1/2 cup whole milk

For Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • 23 TBSP heavy cream or whole milk
  • rainbow sprinkles for topping

Instructions

For Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 10 cup bundt or tube pan with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Use a spatula to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
  5. Add the vanilla and almond extract. Mix until just combined.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder and flours.
  7. Add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the half and half and milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
  8. Mix on low speed only until just barely combined. Do not over mix.
  9. Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Remove the bundt pan from the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.
  11. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto a serving platter or cooking rack.
  12. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  2. Scrap down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Add the confectioner’s sugar one half cup at a time, mixing on low speed with each addition.
  4. Once all of the sugar has been added, mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
  5. Add the salt and 2 TBSP of heavy cream or milk and mix on medium high speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy. If frosting is too thick, add more milk. If too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar.
  6. Frosting should be thick but spreadable.
  7. Once cake is cool, spread or pour the frosting over the top of the bundt and use your hands to gently press the sprinkles into the frosting.
  8. Slice and serve.

Notes

Recipe inspired by and adapted from Lemons for Lulu.
Cake may be frozen before frosting. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.

*Recipe slightly adapted from Lemons For Lulu

 

  • Reply
    Bhagyashree
    March 4, 2021 at 9:29 pm

    Is there a substitution for half and half

    • Reply
      Heather Mubarak
      March 6, 2021 at 6:27 pm

      I have only made this cake using half and half but you can try heavy cream or whole milk. Enjoy!

  • Reply
    Eric
    February 4, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    This looks so yummy! I’m going to make it this weekend. Can I add sprinkles to the cake batter like a funfetti cake?

    • Reply
      Heather Mubarak
      February 4, 2021 at 11:56 pm

      I don’t see why not! Enjoy!!

    • Reply
      Anonymous
      August 28, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      Well, that’s two for two.
      Baked this cake yesterday morning and it’s just as promised – something reminiscent of a sugar cookie, in cake form.
      I made your blueberry pound cake and it was heavenly. Now I’ll be adding this treat to my recipe collection as well.
      Love the rich vanilla flavour (I added vanilla bean powder as well) and crumb of this cake, and the icing is fab too.
      Thanks for another reliable recipe.






      • Heather Mubarak
        September 3, 2021 at 6:31 pm

        Thrilled to hear you love this cake!! It’s my girls’ favorite for sure!

  • Reply
    tonya
    January 10, 2021 at 2:05 pm

    I dont have cake flour, can I just use regular flour for all?

    • Reply
      Heather Mubarak
      January 13, 2021 at 1:18 am

      Yes, just keep in mind that the texture will be slightly different. Enjoy!

  • Reply
    Robin
    January 4, 2021 at 7:08 pm

    Could this be made as a regular cake? I don’t have a bunt pan, but this looks delicious! 🙂

    • Reply
      Heather Mubarak
      January 4, 2021 at 7:47 pm

      I haven’t made this cake any other way but it should work in 9 x 13 inch pan. Enjoy!

Leave a Reply

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star