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vanilla cake

Malted Funfetti Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Cookie Crumble

September 21, 2021 By Ashley 2 Comments

I’ve been really into baking with malted milk powder. It just has this deep and toasty flavor that lends so much depth and deliciousness to baked goods. Inspired by strawberry malt milkshakes, I created this malted funfetti cake with strawberry buttercream and cookie crumble. Strawberries and malted milk powder are so, so good together, this is my second recipe using them together within the past couple months. Fluffy and tender malted funfetti cake flecked with sprinkles, silky strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream and strawberry shortbread cookie crumble makes for a truly delicious cake that you will want to make on the regular.

Malted Funfetti Strawberry Cake

Malted Funfetti Cake

The base recipe of my malted funfetti cake is my go to vanilla cake, with the additional malted milk powder and sprinkles. This cake is mixed using the reverse creaming, or two stage method. Reverse creaming cakes have a tighter, more delicate and soft crumb. They tend to be more compact, with less of a rise compared to creamed cakes, and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Reverse creaming cakes can be delicate, so they are easiest to layer, carve, stack, etc. when they are chilled. 

Malted Funfetti Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Buttercream

Strawberry Swiss Meringue buttercream is fluffy, silky and so yummy. It reminds me a lot of strawberry ice cream – which is always a good thing, right? In this recipe, I use strawberry jam for the strawberry flavoring in the buttercream. You can also try the method I use for making strawberry Italian meringue buttercream by making your own concentrated jam first as used in my strawberry rose buttermilk cake.

Malted Funfetti Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cookie Crumbs

I really like adding crunchy elements to my cakes. I like the texture they add and it helps to add additional complementary flavors to the cake. The cookie crumbs for this recipe is a shortbread style crumble that is baked until golden and crispy. Once cool, freeze dried strawberries are crushed into the crumble and tossed to fully incorporate. This crumble is super yummy and even tastes amazing on ice cream, yogurt, etc.

Malted Funfetti Strawberry Cake

I baked my cakes in 2 – 2″ pans and torted them (or split them in half) to create 4 layers total. You want to make sure that the cake layers will be stable so I typically put down a thin layer of buttercream and then pipe a dam around the edge of the cake first before sprinkling on the cookie crumble. Then scoop additional buttercream on top of it, spreading it out to even it out with the dam. This ensures that the buttercream layers are even but also will make sure the layers are adhered properly and are stable, and not just sitting on the crumble.

Malted Funfetti Strawberry Cake

I hope that you enjoy this malted funfetti cake with strawberry buttercream and cookie crumble as much as I do! If you make it, let me know and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more layer cake recipes, check out these posts:

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

Malted Funfetti Strawberry Cake
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Malted Funfetti Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Cookie Crumble

Funfetti malted milk vanilla cake filled with strawberry malted cookie crumble and strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Course: Dessert
Servings: 3 8″ cakes

Ingredients

Malted Funfetti Vanilla Cake

  • 14 ounces (397g) cake flour
  • 14 ounces(397g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup malted milk powder
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 9 oz (255g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 ounces (85g) canola oil
  • 12 ounces (31g) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup sprinkles

Strawberry Buttercream

  • 1 batch prepared Swiss meringue buttercream
  • 1 – 1½ cups strawberry jam

Strawberry Cookie Crumble

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoons malted milk powder
  • 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Make Funfetti Malt Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
  • Combine the milk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla extract in medium bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, malt powder and salt. On low speed, mix for 1 minute.
  • With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
  • With the mixer still on low, pour in a small amount of the liquid ingredients (about 1/2 cup) and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
  • Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and beat for *two full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
  • With the mixer speed on low, add the remaining wet ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
  • Once all the wet ingredients have been incorporated, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Fold in the sprinkles.
  • Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.
  • Bake the layers for 35-45 minutes. Check the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. If a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched, take the cakes out.
  • Tap the cake once, firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cakes dome at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the domes down. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans.
  • Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours.

Strawberry Buttercream

  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the salted caramel sauce and the prepared Swiss meringue buttercream.
  • Mix on low until everything is incorporated and the buttercream is smooth.

Strawberry Cookie Crumble

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, malt powder and salt.
  • Pulse in the butter, pulsing until the dough forms clumps.
  • Turn the mixture in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet and break up some of the large pieces.
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and, using a heatproof spatula, gently flip the mixture and bake for 10 more minutes.  Let tray cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • Let tray cool completely on a wire rack. Crumble in the freeze dried strawberries. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Assemble the Cake

  • Work with chilled cake layers. Using a long serrated knife torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake. If you made your cake in 3 pans, skip this step.
  • Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
  • Spread a thin, even layer of the buttercream on the cake layer with an offset spatula. Pipe a rim (or dam) of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer.
  • Sprinkle the strawberry cookie crumble on top of the cake layer. Pat into place.
  • Spread about one cup of the buttercream on top of the crumble using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick total.
  • Place the second cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat steps 3-6.
  • Place the third cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat steps 3-6.
  • Place final cake layer on top and frost with the remaining buttercream. Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Slice into pieces and serve.

Filed Under: Cakes and Cupcakes Tagged With: buttercream, cake crumbs, crumble, freeze dried strawberries, funfetti, malt, strawberries, strawberry, strawberry buttercream, vanilla cake

Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

August 12, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

It’s my birthday! So I’m celebrating with funfetti vanilla cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting. Yellow cake and chocolate frosting is the quintessential birthday cake I grew up with, as so many of us have, and it’s a nostalgic combination I make for birthdays year after year. These funfetti vanilla cupcakes are deliciously soft, moist and full of vanilla flavor. The chocolate fudge frosting is light but rich, super chocolatey and creamy delicious. And we can’t forget, it’s not a true birthday cupcake unless there are lots and lots of sprinkles!

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

How to make funfetti cupcakes

These funfetti vanilla cupcakes are tender, buttery, and moist with a tight, delicate crumb. I’ve loaded these cupcakes with vanilla bean paste, but these are also great with almond extract. They’re the perfect go-to vanilla cupcake. Pop in some sprinkles and they’re the perfect funfetti cupcake.

These cupcakes are quick and easy to prepare. They use my favorite mixing methods, the reverse creaming method. Check out my Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake for more information on the reverse creaming method. Room temperature ingredients are key to a perfect cupcake. The egg, egg white, oil and vanilla bean paste are combined together in bowl and lightly beaten, to mix.  The dry ingredients – cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt – are  mixed together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Room temperature butter is mixed into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. The milk is added just until the flour mixture is moistened, then the batter is whipped for a full 90 seconds. This aerates and stabilizes the batter for fluffy cupcakes.

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

The remaining milk is mixed in with the egg/oil mixture. The egg/oil mixture is added to the batter in two additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Be sure to scrape the bowl when noted to make sure the ingredients are being thoroughly incorporated. Fold in the sprinkles of your choice. Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 of the way full. The cupcakes are baked a slightly lower temperature at 325F, so that bottoms and sides of the cupcakes don’t get over baked while the middle is still baking. Do not over bake.

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe is super versatile. They’re soft and fluffy, but still stable enough for a variety of fillings and frostings. The baked cupcakes will keep for 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. I do not recommend refrigerating these, as I don’ t recommend refrigerating scratch cupcakes in general. Unless they’re individually wrapped, I find that they dry out a bit to much.

How to make the chocolate fudge frosting

This super chocolatey frosting is super light and creamy. There’s lots of chocolate in it, but whipping the butter and the confectioner’s sugar first, then whipping the buttercream after the chocolate is added ensures a light and creamy frosting, rather than a dense and cloying frosting. It’s so good, it’s hard to not just eat it out of the bowl with spoon.

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

I like to use bittersweet chocolate in my frosting to offset the sweetness from the confectioner’s sugar. Choose a quality bittersweet chocolate that you like, because the chocolate flavor is front and center. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler until the chocolate is melted and smooth, and let it cool to room temperature. While the chocolate is cooling, whip the butter and the confectioner’s sugar until super light and creamy. Add in the cooled chocolate, and beat again until combined. Add in the vanilla, milk and salt and beat on medium speed until light, creamy and thoroughly mixed. I like to whip the frosting for 3-5 minutes or so to get it really light and fluffy. Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and top with your favorite sprinkles. Enjoy!

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

For more cake and cupcake recipes, check out these posts:

Black Forest Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Buttercream

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes
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Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Buttery, tender and moist vanilla bean funfetti cupcakes topped with creamy, and decadent chocolate fudge frosting
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: Black Forest Cupcakes, brown sugar swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate frosting, fudge frosting, funfetti cupcakes
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Equipment

  • Electric Stand Mixer
  • Cupcake pan

Ingredients

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup (119g) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg white, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tablespoons (26g) canola oil
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (175g) cake flour
  • 3/4 cups (150g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup sprinkles

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

  • 1 cup (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
  • 1 3/4 cup (210g) confectioner's sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream

Instructions

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

  • Heat the oven to 325F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
  • In a measuring cup, combine the egg, egg white, vanilla and oil. Whisk to combine.
  • In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix on low speed for a minute to combine.
  • With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
  • With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the milk, mixing JUST until the flour mixture is moistened. You will not use all the milk at this time. Pour the remaining milk into the bowl with the eggs and oil, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • Turn the mixer speed to medium and whip for a full 90 seconds. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
  • With the mixer speed on low, add the egg/oil/remaining milk mixture in two additions, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
  • Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula.
  • Fold in the sprinkles. Evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners, 2/3 full.
  • Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a crumb or two when inserted in the center of the cupcake. Don't over bake.
  • Place the baked cupcakes on wire racks to cool for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the hot cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

  • Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir well.  Return the chocolate to the microwave and heat for another 15 seconds and stir again. 
  • Continue heating the chocolate for 15 seconds, stirring after each increment, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
  • Combine the softened butter and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Mix on low speed for one minute. Turn the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every so often.
  • On low speed, add the cooled, melted chocolate. Mix for a minute, until everything is incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the salt, vanilla and milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and whip for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.

Notes

Baked and frosted cupcakes can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. 
 

Filed Under: Cakes and Cupcakes Tagged With: american buttercream, buttercream, chocolate, cupcakes, frosting, fudge, funfetti, funfetti cupcakes, sprinkles, vanilla bean, vanilla cake, white cake, yellow cake

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Hi, I’m Ashley! Welcome to the Little Vintage Baking blog – where you will find recipes, tutorials, resources and more for bakers and cake decorators.
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