What are the ingredients in Entenmann's party cake?

January 12, 2026 •

3 min read

With dozens of components on the label, a single slice of Entenmann's Party Cake is more complex than a simple homemade recipe, containing a sophisticated mix of sweeteners, fats, and additives. For those curious, here is a detailed breakdown of what are the ingredients in Entenmann's party cake.

Quick Summary

This article lists the ingredients in Entenmann's party cake, detailing the components of the cake, icing, and sprinkles, along with the function of key food additives like emulsifiers, preservatives, and modified food starch.

Key Points

Complex Ingredient List: Entenmann's party cake relies on a wide array of ingredients beyond basic flour, sugar, and eggs, including a variety of food additives to ensure texture, stability, and shelf life.
Emulsifiers are Key: Ingredients like mono- and diglycerides and soy lecithin are used to create a stable emulsion of oil and water, which is critical for the cake's consistent crumb and volume.
Preservatives for Freshness: To inhibit mold and other microbial growth, preservatives such as potassium sorbate and sodium propionate are added, enabling the cake to have an extended shelf life.
Stabilizers and Thickeners Control Texture: Modified food starch and xanthan gum are used to improve moisture retention, prevent staling, and create a desirable texture that holds up well over time and under different temperature conditions.
Icing and Sprinkles are Separate: The cake's frosting and decorative sprinkles have a separate list of ingredients, which includes hydrogenated palm kernel oil for the icing and various artificial colors and waxes for the sprinkles.
Minor Variations in Other Products: The ingredient list differs slightly between the standard party cake and other versions, like the smaller Little Bites, to achieve specific product qualities like texture and consistency.

A Detailed Look at Entenmann's Party Cake Ingredients

Entenmann's Party Cake is a well-known snack cake featuring white icing and colorful sprinkles. Its ingredient list is extensive, reflecting a blend of traditional baking components and food additives used to achieve its characteristic taste, texture, and longevity. The ingredients are typically categorized into the cake base, the icing, and the sprinkles.

The Cake Base: Key Ingredients and Their Functions

The cake's structure is a combination of standard baking ingredients and specific additives.

Sweeteners: Multiple sugars like regular sugar, corn syrup, and invert sugar contribute to sweetness, moisture, and texture.
Flour: Bleached wheat flour forms the main structure, while wheat starch and soy flour contribute to texture and moisture.
Fats: Vegetable shortening (palm, soybean) and soybean oil are used to ensure a tender and moist cake crumb.
Eggs and Whey: These provide structure, emulsification, and contribute to texture.
Emulsifiers: Ingredients such as mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin, and polysorbate 60 help blend oil and water, improve crumb structure, and prevent staling.
Leavening Agents: Baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and monocalcium phosphate are used for the cake to rise.
Preservatives: Potassium sorbate and sodium propionate are included to prevent mold and extend shelf life.
Starches and Gums: Modified food starch and xanthan gum act as thickeners and stabilizers, enhancing moisture retention and texture.
Other Ingredients: Glycerin retains moisture, salt balances sweetness, and natural and artificial flavors provide taste.

The Icing and Sprinkles

The icing and sprinkles have their own ingredient compositions.

Icing: Composed mainly of sugar, water, and fat, often including hydrogenated palm kernel oil for stability.
Sprinkles: These contain sugar, cornstarch, carnauba wax, and artificial colorings like Yellow 5 & 6, Red 40, and Blue 1.

Entenmann's Party Cake vs. Little Bites Party Cake

Although similar in flavor, the larger Party Cake and Little Bites versions have slight variations in ingredients, particularly in stabilizers and emulsifiers, adapted for their different forms.


Feature	Entenmann's Party Cake	Entenmann's Little Bites Party Cakes
Emulsifiers	Mono- and Diglycerides, Glyceryl Lactoesters of Fatty Acids, Polysorbate 60	Mono- and Diglycerides, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Soy Lecithin
Sweeteners	Sugar, Water, Corn Syrup, Invert Sugar	Sugar, Water, Invert Sugar, Corn Syrup
Thickening/Stabilizing	Xanthan Gum, Agar, Cellulose Gum	Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Cellulose Gum
Preservatives	Potassium Sorbate	Potassium Sorbate
Sprinkle Coating	Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax	Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax
Allergen Information	Contains: Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Milk. May contain Tree Nuts	Contains: Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Milk. May contain Tree Nuts

These differences help achieve the desired texture and stability for each product.

The Role of Food Additives

Food additives are used to ensure consistency, safety, and shelf-life in commercial baked goods. The FDA regulates these substances.

Emulsifiers: Stabilize oil and water mixtures, improving crumb and preventing separation.
Preservatives: Inhibit microbial growth to extend shelf life.
Thickeners and Stabilizers: Improve texture, consistency, and moisture retention.
Colors: Provide visual appeal, particularly in sprinkles.

Conclusion: The Complex Recipe of a Classic Treat

Entenmann's Party Cake is a product of detailed food science, using a range of ingredients and additives to create its signature taste and texture, ensuring consistency and a long shelf life. The combination of components is formulated for stability and widespread appeal.

The Ingredients in Entenmann's Party Cake

For a full list of ingredients for the cake, frosting, and sprinkles, refer to the source {Link: Fry's Food Stores https://www.frysfood.com/p/entenmann-s-party-cake/0007203002127}.

The Function of Key Additives in Baked Goods

Emulsifiers

How They Work: Emulsifiers stabilize oil and water mixtures using hydrophilic and lipophilic parts.
Benefits in Cake: They improve texture, volume, and shelf life.

Preservatives

How They Work: Preservatives inhibit microbial growth, preventing spoilage. They create an unfavorable environment for microbes.
Benefits in Cake: Extend freshness and reduce waste.

Modified Food Starch

How It Works: Treated native starch with enhanced binding and thickening properties. It withstands processing conditions.
Benefits in Cake: Retains moisture, improves texture, and maintains quality after freezing.

Gums and Stabilizers

How They Work: Hydrocolloids that thicken liquids and prevent ingredient separation.
Benefits in Cake: Contribute to consistent texture, moisture, and stability. Help control icing consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Entenmann's uses both natural and artificial flavors to achieve its taste profile. Natural flavors are derived from real food sources like plants or spices, while artificial flavors are synthetic chemical compounds designed to mimic or enhance specific flavor characteristics. The combination provides a consistent and recognizable flavor.

Yes, the cake contains several major allergens. According to the ingredient list, it includes wheat, eggs, milk (via whey), and soy. The manufacturer also notes that the product may contain tree nuts due to shared facility equipment.

Modified food starch is added as a stabilizer and thickener. It helps improve the cake's texture, retain moisture, and ensures the product's quality is maintained, especially during freezing, thawing, and storage.

Mono- and diglycerides are common emulsifiers, which are substances that help to blend ingredients that don't mix naturally, like oil and water. In Entenmann's party cake, they help create a finer crumb, maintain the cake's volume, and prevent it from going stale too quickly.

The preservatives, such as potassium sorbate, are used to inhibit the growth of mold, yeast, and other microorganisms that can cause spoilage. This extends the cake's shelf life, allowing it to remain fresh and safe for consumption for a longer period.

Hydrogenated palm kernel oil is a type of fat that provides a smooth, stable texture to the icing. It helps the icing maintain its structure and prevents it from melting or separating, which is essential for the cake's appearance and consistency.

No, modified food starch is not the same as genetically modified starch. Modified starch refers to starch that has undergone chemical or physical treatment to improve its functional properties for food processing. Genetically modified starch comes from a genetically engineered plant.