Instant Pot Confetti Cake with Homemade Buttercream

This is a cake that can help you celebrate many occasions; birthdays, graduation parties. And you can make this Confetti Cake in your Instant Pot! Serves 8 Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes (includes cooling time)

Ingredients:

Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles + some for decorating
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream

Buttercream:
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 vanilla bean, split
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream


Directions:

For the cake: Coat a 7-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment, coat the paper. Whisk together the flour, sprinkles, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale yellow, 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl, and continue to beat until creamy, about 2 minutes (the mixture will look curdled but will come back together after it has been beaten for 1 or 2 minutes). With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Set a rack inside the Instant Pot and add 2 cups water. If your rack does not have handles then make a swing with foil. Fold at least 20” piece of foil and place the cake pan in the center of the foil. Fold foil up sides of cake pan, lift and place inside the pot. Close and lock the lid, close vent and prepare to cook. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 40 minutes (see Cook's Note).

After the pressure cook cycle is complete, use the quick release method and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid. Lift the cake out of the pot using the foil or the rack handles.  Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan, 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a rack, peel off the parchment and let cool completely.

Invert the cake again so that it is right-side up. Horizontally trim the top dome from the cake with a long serrated knife to create a flat surface. Slice the cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. (Cake can be baked 1 day ahead.) Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

For the buttercream: Beat the confectioners' sugar and butter withan electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean, then add 2 tablespoons cream and continue to beat on high speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if necessary for a spreadable consistency. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or large plate. Spoon 1 1/2 cups buttercream over the top. Smooth the buttercream to the edge of the cake using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, creating an even layer. Place another cake layer on top. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with sprinkles as desired. Yum Yum!

 Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.) Settings may vary on your Instant Pot® depending on the model. Please refer to manufacturer's guide.