Vanilla Confetti Cake with Chocolate-Cardamom Ganache

• Difficulty: Easy
• Yield: One 13-by-18-inch sheet cake
• Nutritional Facts per Serving (1 of 18): Calories 302, Total Fat 20g, Saturated Fat 12g, Carbohydrates 29g, Fiber 1g, Sugar 21g, Protein 2g, Cholesterol 70mg, Sodium 129mg
• Total Time: 1 hour (includes cooling)
• Active Time: 30 minutes

This sheet cake is a dependable, quick option when you need to feed a crowd. The batter is simple and studded with rainbow sprinkles for a festive surprise, and the recipe uses common pantry ingredients; the buttermilk is made by mixing heavy cream with fresh lemon juice. The optional cardamom in the frosting adds a bright, unexpected note to the classic chocolate ganache.

Cake Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Rainbow sprinkles, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and place a rack in the center.
2. Spray a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a liquid measuring cup combine the heavy cream and lemon juice and let it sit 57 minutes to curdle.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl whisk the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; stir in the cream-and-lemon mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold in the rainbow sprinkles gently.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 1517 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan at least 30 minutes.
5. For the frosting, warm the cream and cardamom (if using) over medium-low heat until it simmers, about 23 minutes. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over it, whisking until smooth.
6. Whisk in the softened butter one tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated and glossy. Stir in the vanilla and a pinch of salt.
7. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and top with additional rainbow sprinkles. Slice and serve.

Note: Use sprinkles (jimmies) rather than nonpareilsnonpareils can bleed color into the batter and alter the cake's appearance.