This giant sugar cookie cake yields a soft, buttery center with slightly crisp edges. Top it with a creamy almond-vanilla buttercream and plenty of sprinkles for an instant celebration-ready dessert.
If you want a show-stopping party treat, this giant sugar cookie cake fits the bill — colorful sprinkles, smooth buttercream waves, and the kind of nostalgia everyone loves.
This recipe first appeared on the blog in 2015 for my 30th birthday and has been a yearly favorite ever since. I began sharing cookie cakes around my birthday every year, and this funfetti version has become a go-to for celebrations of all kinds.
This frosted sugar cookie cake has appeared on many party tables and adapts easily to different color schemes — from birthday themes to football-game team colors.
This cake is incredibly versatile. There are enough sprinkles to go around, and the smooth top is a blank canvas if you want to pipe a message or add more decoration.
Or just add more sprinkles — that’s never a bad choice.
A little almond extract is the trick to a classic funfetti flavor; I add it to both the cookie cake and the buttercream. The vanilla-almond buttercream is rich, buttery, and worth licking the beaters for.
HOW TO MAKE A COOKIE CAKE
The cookie cake is straightforward and low-fuss. No mixer is required for the dough and there’s no chilling step. If you prefer, you can skip the frosting and serve the cookie cake plain.
That said, the buttercream really completes the dessert — think of it as the finishing bow. The vanilla-almond buttercream is simple and familiar if you’ve made a basic vanilla buttercream before.
I prefer baking this cookie cake in a 9″ springform pan so it can be removed cleanly and placed on a serving platter, but a pie plate or round cake pan works well too and can be easier for transport.
Taste testers consistently praise the texture: slightly crisp edges and a super-soft, buttery center create the ideal cookie cake experience.
It’s sturdy enough to pick up and eat by hand, yet soft enough to slice like a cake. The recipe is easy enough for kids to help with, and who doesn’t love adding sprinkles?
Keep this soft sugar cookie cake recipe handy for quick celebrations. Swap sprinkles to match holidays or team colors and you have an easy dessert for any occasion.
Whatever you’re celebrating, this sprinkly funfetti cookie cake is a delightful choice.
Thanks for celebrating the blog’s birthday with me. Here’s to more kitchen adventures — and more sprinkles!
More funfetti favorites: funfetti white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, funfetti brownies, funfetti cheesecake, and funfetti donuts.
Funfetti Sugar Cookie Cake
15
32
47
Ingredients
COOKIE CAKE
- 2 and ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (5g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 and ¼ cup (250g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup (67g) sprinkles (not nonpareils)
VANILLA ALMOND BUTTERCREAM
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ Tablespoon (8mL) milk or cream
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Need to keep track of your ingredients?Check out my Printable Ingredient List!
Instructions
SUGAR COOKIE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9″ springform pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, almond extract, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until no flour streaks remain. Fold in white chocolate chips and sprinkles. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 26–32 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Cover with foil if you want to prevent extra browning. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
VANILLA ALMOND BUTTERCREAM
- In a medium bowl with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter, vanilla, almond extract, and milk or cream. On low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Add a pinch of salt to taste. Tint frosting with gel food coloring if desired.
- Remove the cooled cookie cake from the pan and place it on a serving platter. Fill a piping bag with frosting and decorate; a large star tip (like a Wilton 1M) works well. Store assembled cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. Undecorated cookie cake can be frozen up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting.
Notes
- Springform pan: you can also use a 9″ pie plate or an 8″–9″ round or square baking pan.
- Tinting frosting: gel food color is recommended for vibrant color; add sparingly until you reach the shade you want.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided as a courtesy. Ingredient substitutions or portion changes will alter the estimates.