Make Any Day Feel Like a Celebration With This Vegan Funfetti Cake

There's nothing quite like a piece of cake—especially the classic "Funfetti" kind that came from that blue box and present at every single birthday party when you were a kid. But if your palate or dietary needs have changed since the '90s (which, fair), then this vegan take on the childhood favorite will be your new party go-to. Well+Good Council member  Candice Kumai keeps it dairy-free and gluten-free while using some clever baking tricks to ensure that the final product tastes even better than you remember. Quarantine party for one, anyone? 

This delicious “funfetti” cake is a fabulously-updated version made with real bananas, almond meal, and coconut oil. It just happens to be vegan and um… and….absolutely delicious. It certainly wasn’t planned this way, but this is the last recipe in my cookbook, it was the last recipe to be shot for this book, and it was just about everyone’s favorite. Follow the recipe as-is for one cake, or double the recipe to make a two-layer birthday or celebratory cake.

Vegan Funfetti Cake

Yields one 8” or 9” round cake 

Serves 12

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil, room temperature
3/4 cup organic white sugar
1/2 ripe banana, mashed
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups gluten free flour
3/4 cup almond meal
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons multi-colored rainbow sprinkles

For the coconut icing:
2 1/4 plus 2 tablespoons cups powdered confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles, to top.

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat one 9-inch round cake pan with unrefined coconut oil or baking spray.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet cake ingredients—unrefined coconut oil, white sugar, banana, water and vanilla extract—then set aside.

3. In a small mixing bowl, add the dry cake ingredients: gluten free flour, almond meal, and salt. Gently add the dry ingredients into the wet bowl and mix until combined, but do not over mix.

3. In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Allow the mixture to fizz and fold into the cake. Gently fold in the multi-colored sprinkles until combined.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, place into the oven and bake for approximately 33 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

5. Remove from the oven and cool completely prior to icing the cake.

To make the icing:

1. In a large bowl (or in a stand-mixer), add the powdered confectioners sugar, unrefined coconut oil, and almond milk. Whisk well with a power mixer or hand-held whisk to combine. Add in apple cider vinegar to finish and whisk again. Make sure the icing is stiff.

2. Gently place your cooled cake on a cake stand or a pretty serving plate. Using a spatula, ice your cake: Top, then sides and sprinkle with final rainbow sprinkles before the frosting hardens!