Vegan Funfetti Cake

Funfetti cake is popular among kids and adults. Funfetti cake is a simple vanilla cake with sprinkles that melt and make the cake colorful. I can't even keep track of how many funfetti cakes I would have baked over the years. Of course, things are a lot different now, especially, after becoming a vegan and also trying to make healthy choices. Ever since, I turned vegan, I stopped using cake box mixes (always felt guilty using them, so this was a good reason to stop) and have baked my cakes from scratch prior to which I used to only bake cookies and quick breads.

My daughter's b'day was approaching and I wanted to bake a cake for her.  I couldn't think of baking any other cake for a 1 yr old and also this is the first cake she would be tasting as well. The first time I made the cake I followed the recipe and decorated with pink buttercream frosting with pink crystal sprinkles (its a girl's 1st b'day after all...pink rulz!!). She was excited to cut the cake and was happy about everyone singing her Happy B'day. Little did she know that we planned a bigger celebration that following weekend. 

I was in a hurry to bake her b'day cake and wanted it to be flawless. The original recipe was super moist and had the melt in your mouth texture.She thoroughly enjoyed her cake and kept coming back for more :) This time, I tweaked the recipe to make a smaller cake, with lot less fat and a tad bit healthy but equally delicious. Now, you don't need a reason to bake a cake, do ya???

Adapted from Girl who bakes

Ingredients:

For Funfetti cake:

3/4 cup powdered raw sugar 
1 cup almond milk, unsweetened (I use Almond Breeze)
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 - 3 1/2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles
1 - 2 tbsp confetti sprinkles, for decoration

For vanilla glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp almond milk (or water)
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, whisk the milk and vinegar. Set aside until the mixture curdles.

Sift the whole wheat pastry flour (sifting the flour makes the cake lighter), cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Add sugar (increase to 1 cup, if you like it sweeter) and rainbow sprinkles.

In a mixing bowl, whisk oil and vanilla extract with wet ingredients (milk-vinegar mix and applesauce). 

Note: I actually forgot to add the applesauce to the wet ingredients and the cake turned out slightly moist but adding applesauce makes the cake more moist.

Now, mix the dry ingredients with wet. Grease a bundt cake pan (or any other pan) with cooking spray, pour the cake batter and bake for 35 mins. 

Insert a toothpick to check if its baked all the way through. Allow to cool completely before using a glaze (otherwise the glaze melts away).

  

The cake on its own was not very sweet but the glaze balances out the sweetness.

Note: If you don't like using vinegar, you can use 1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice but make sure to add it to the cake batter after adding all ingredients, mix quickly (the batter will slightly foam up) and immediately transfer to the cake pan to bake. 

For glaze:

In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, salt, almond milk (or water) and vanilla extract. Mix well until the glaze is smooth and slightly thick.

Using a spoon, liberally drizzle the glaze on the cake. Add the confetti sprinkles on top of the glaze so that it sticks well. 

Makes 10-12 servings.