Hi all! I'm making a 3 tier rainbow sprinkle cake for my daughter's 3rd birthday (6, 8, and 10" tiers). I'm planning on buying 7.5 oz wilton nonpareils (they are here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K7Q5PQ/?tag=cakecentral-20)

How many will I need to buy? Also, the cake will be covered in SMBC - can I just put the nonpareils on the cake with my hands or do I have to roll the cake in the sprinkles to apply them, like the tutorials show? I'm picturing myself really making a huge mess of the icing if I do it that way! Thank you!

You may want to look into ordering from a wholesale place.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/rainbow-non-pareils-10-lbs-cs/711NONPAREIL.html

The above link is a site I shop from a lot has a 10 pound case for $18

I did this cake..but I only use regular butter cream..not familiar with how SMBC would work  It is super easy...you roll the cake in a pan filled with the sprinkles.   There is a tutorial somewhere online...I'll try to find it.   And I don't remember how much sprinkles I used.  I only did a 8" double.   It didn't really take that much.

I think this is the tutorial I used.  Super fun cake to do.

http://thecakeblog.com/2012/09/diy-rainbow-sprinkle-cake.html

thank you both! That's a huge help!!!

ddaigle - if I put the cake back in the fridge after the nonpareils are on it, will they fall off?
 

Mine didn't fall off and the cake went in the frig over night.  I used the little stick like sprinkles instead of the little beads...but I don't think it will matter.   After I rolled it in the sprinkles I then put in on my turntable and just kind of pressed them in more with my hand.  Just for the heck of it! lol