Frosted Sugar Cookie Bundt Cake

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

*Recipe slightly adapted from Lemons For Lulu