Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls (Funfetti)

Make somebody’s birthday needs come true by waking them up with these further mushy & sprinkle-loaded birthday cake cinnamon rolls. Like a cross between cinnamon rolls and confetti cake, this extra-special breakfast deal with is ideal for kicking off an extra-special day. Prime with vanilla or cream cheese icing, and don’t neglect the birthday candle!
*Needs for a second serving to.*

Like a sprinkle-loaded stack of birthday cake pancakes, these Funfetti cake-inspired rolls are the happiest deal with in your particular morning. I revealed this recipe method again in 2013, and make them just a few instances annually when a household birthday rolls round. And, on a number of events, I’ve made these INSTEAD of birthday cake, as a result of… actually… cinnamon rolls for dessert simply is sensible.
And a few individuals simply don’t like cake. Sure, I do know you’re on the market!
I’ve made only a few edits to the unique recipe (as a result of it’s simply so good), however I do have new images and streamlined directions for you right here.
You’ll Love These Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls
- Filling tastes like cake combine, however it’s not from a field
- Fluffy, buttery, and tender dough
- Loaded with colourful rainbow sprinkles, like a batch of confetti cupcakes
- Topped with cream cheese icing (and extra sprinkles!)
- Virtually like having confetti cake for breakfast


The dough for these birthday cake cinnamon rolls comes from my raspberry candy rolls. It’s my favourite dough, and I based mostly my ultra-popular in a single day cinnamon rolls recipe off of it, too. And it’s fairly simple! Should you’re afraid of working with yeast, please don’t be intimidated; there’s hardly any “work time” concerned, just a few “wait time” because the yeast does its job.
Endurance is yeast’s finest good friend.
Are You a Yeast Newbie?
This Baking with Yeast Information is a superb start line. I reply many widespread yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you possibly can study the fundamentals earlier than starting.
I selected to make use of this specific dough recipe as the bottom for these colourful rolls as a result of I really like how fluffy the top result’s. The rolls are mushy, tender, buttery, and candy and actually make an exquisite “starter” dough recipe for any type of filling. And I figured their fluffy, pillow-y texture and buttery style would make the proper base for a confetti cake heart. Swirls of sprinkles and candy dough—how are you going to go flawed?
Seize These Components for the Candy Roll Dough:
- Complete Milk: Complete milk is good for the richest-tasting candy rolls. Buttermilk works simply as effectively with none adjustments to the recipe.
- Sugar: You want white granulated sugar for the dough, each for taste (these are candy rolls, in any case) and to feed the yeast. You’ll use some once more within the filling.
- Yeast: You should use energetic dry or instantaneous yeast. Observe the instructions precisely as written no matter which you select.
- Butter: This can be a wealthy dough, which means it has fats to assist assure softness. Use softened butter and, to assist it mix simpler, minimize it into 4 items earlier than including.
- Vanilla: This can be a new ingredient I take advantage of within the dough; the unique recipe didn’t name for it. You additionally want vanilla within the icing. You should use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Eggs: Like butter, eggs promise a softer, richer dough.
- Salt: Dough is bland with out salt.
- Flour: Flour supplies the dough’s construction. You should use both all-purpose flour or bread flour. You’ll discover the rolls are somewhat chewier in the event you use bread flour.
Right here’s the dough:

I normally use a stand mixer to make this dough.
What if I Don’t Have a Stand Mixer? If you don’t personal a mixer, you possibly can combine the dough along with a big wood spoon/rubber spatula. It can take a little bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, however the sticky dough repeatedly will get caught within the beaters.
After the dough comes collectively, will probably be somewhat mushy and sticky—that’s regular. Knead the dough on a floured counter or preserve it within the mixer for kneading—whichever technique you employ, it needs to be about 5 minutes of kneading.
Place the dough right into a calmly greased bowl, cowl, and set it in a draft-free space to rise till doubled in dimension—it takes about 2 hours. After that, punch the risen dough down:

Roll it right into a rectangle form that’s about 12×18 inches in dimension. Then it’s time to fill it!
Baker’s Tip: If the dough retains shrinking as you roll it out, cease what you’re doing, cowl it, and let it relaxation for 10 minutes to loosen up the gluten. I usually do that once I’m making pizza dough. If you return to the dough, it ought to stretch out a lot simpler.
Cake Combine Filling
Now let’s speak in regards to the filling. The crème de la crème of as we speak’s rolls. How did I obtain the cake batter taste with out cake combine? Nicely, I started eager about the feel and style of precise cake combine. Creamy, buttery, powdery easy, vanilla-y, and candy. (Every thing we all know and love about these cake batter chocolate chip cookies!) I took these 5 major attributes and brainstormed methods to get them with out utilizing a field combine.
For that creamy style and texture, the key ingredient is powdered espresso creamer. You would additionally use dry milk powder. For the buttery taste, I used (shock!) melted butter. For the powdery smoothness, I used all-purpose flour. For the vanilla taste, I used vanilla extract. And for the sweetness, I used a mixture of white and brown sugars. Voila! You’ve a cake batter filling and not using a field cake combine.
Stir in 1/2 cup of sprinkles, however don’t use nonpareils (the little balls) in your selfmade cake batter combine. I all the time say non! to nonpareils in baked items as a result of they bleed their colours within the oven. You possibly can sprinkle nonpareils on prime of the frosted rolls earlier than serving, nevertheless!

Fill the Rolls
Unfold softened butter all around the rolled-out dough, after which sprinkle with cinnamon, adopted by the selfmade cake crumbles. The butter will permit the crumbles to stay and the cinnamon is simply crucial for cinnamon rolls, proper?! I don’t counsel leaving out the cinnamon as there will not be sufficient taste with out it. Plus, cake batter + cinnamon rolls… want I say extra?


Use a really sharp knife to chop the roll into 12 rolls.

Organize in a greased baking pan, cowl, then let the rolls rise till somewhat puffy, about an hour. That is the 2nd rise. (Alternatively, you may let the rolls rise in a single day. See Notes within the written recipe under for in a single day directions.)
Listed below are the sprinkle cinnamon rolls earlier than and after that 2nd rise:

Then it’s time to bake. Your birthday breakfast is sort of right here!

The Icing on the Cake 😉
The unique model of this recipe referred to as for vanilla icing, however I actually, actually love these candy rolls with cream cheese icing. It’s the identical deliciously easy and silky icing I slather on my traditional cinnamon rolls, in addition to my raspberry swirl candy rolls.
However be at liberty to make use of vanilla icing if cream cheese frosting isn’t your favourite.
I really like the pops of coloration contained in the swirls of soppy, fluffy dough—a stunning tie-dye impact. It doesn’t matter what birthday you’re celebrating, whether or not it’s their fifth or ninety fifth; children and kids-at-heart can’t assist however smile after they see these. I imply, simply take a look at them—this can be a party in a breakfast pastry!



Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls (Like Funfetti Cake!)
Prep Time: 3 hours, half-hour (consists of rises)
Cook dinner Time: 25 minutes
Whole Time: 4 hours (or in a single day)
Yield: 12 rolls
Class: Breakfast
Methodology: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
These birthday cake cinnamon rolls are like a cross between cinnamon rolls and confetti cake. The powdered espresso creamer is a non-negotiable within the filling, as a result of it provides a creamy-like texture. Prime the mushy and sprinkle-loaded rolls with vanilla or cream cheese icing. You may make the birthday rolls inside just a few hours, or get began the night time earlier than utilizing the in a single day possibility within the Observe under.
Dough
Filling
Cream Cheese Icing
Directions
- Put together the dough: Whisk the nice and cozy milk, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and the yeast collectively within the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cowl and permit combination to sit down for about 5 minutes or till foamy on prime. *If you don’t personal a mixer, you are able to do this in a big mixing bowl and within the subsequent step, combine the dough along with a big wood spoon/rubber spatula. It can take a little bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, however the sticky dough repeatedly will get caught within the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wood spoon or rubber spatula is a more sensible choice.*
- On medium pace, beat within the remaining sugar (which needs to be 1/2 cup/100g) and the softened butter till it’s barely damaged up. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium pace till mixed. The butter gained’t actually be mixing into the combination, so don’t be alarmed if it stays in items. Swap the mixer right down to low pace and with it working, add 1 cup of flour at a time, ensuring it’s totally integrated earlier than including the following. After 4 cups have been added, add the final 1/2 cup and beat till the dough comes collectively and pulls away from the edges of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Dough might be mushy.
- Knead the dough: Preserve the dough within the mixer (and swap to the dough hook in the event you used the paddle) and beat on low pace for a further 5 minutes OR knead by hand on a calmly floured floor for five minutes. If kneading by hand, preserve a small bowl of flour close by to repeatedly flour your fingers, because the dough may be fairly sticky. After kneading, poke the dough along with your finger—if it slowly bounces again, your dough is able to rise. If not, preserve kneading.
- 1st Rise: Frivolously grease a big bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough within the bowl, turning it to coat all sides within the oil. Cowl the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clear kitchen towel. Permit the dough to rise in a comparatively heat setting for two hours or till double in dimension. (I all the time let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny discount in rise time, see my reply to The place Ought to Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Information.)
- Grease the underside and sides of a metallic or glass 9×13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough to launch the air. Place dough on a calmly floured work floor and utilizing a calmly floured rolling pin, roll dough right into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Be sure the dough is easy and evenly thick. If the dough retains shrinking as you roll it out, cease what you’re doing, cowl it calmly, and let it relaxation for 10 minutes to loosen up the gluten. If you return to the dough, it ought to stretch out a lot simpler.
- Make the filling: Soften 2 Tablespoons (28g) of the butter. Reserve the remaining for step 8. Whisk the flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered espresso creamer, and salt collectively. Utilizing a fork, combine within the melted butter and the vanilla extract till crumbly. Combine within the sprinkles. (*You’ll use the cinnamon within the subsequent step.*)
- Unfold dough with the remaining butter (6 Tablespoons). Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon, after which the sprinkle filling combination evenly on prime. Tightly roll up the dough to kind an 18-inch-long log. With an additional sharp knife, minimize into 12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches every. Organize within the ready baking pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cowl the rolls tightly and permit to rise till puffy, about 1 hour. (Or use the in a single day possibility within the Notes under.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake for about 25–28 minutes or till they’re calmly browned on prime. About midway by way of baking time, tent a chunk of aluminum foil over the pan to forestall the tops from browning too shortly. Take away pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
- Make the icing: In a medium bowl utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium pace till easy and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low pace for 30 seconds, then swap to excessive pace and beat for 1 minute. Unfold the icing over the nice and cozy rolls, garnish with further sprinkles if desired, and serve instantly.
- Cowl leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and retailer at room temperature for as much as 2 days or within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Notes
- Make Forward Directions – In a single day: To organize the night time earlier than serving, put together the rolls by way of step 8. Cowl the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (16 hours max. 8–12 hours is finest, however 16 hours is OK if completely wanted. Don’t exceed 16 hours.) The following morning, take away from the fridge and permit to rise on the counter for 1–2 hours earlier than persevering with with step 10.
- Make Forward Directions – Freezing: Baked rolls may be frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge and heat up earlier than having fun with. It’s also possible to freeze the unbaked rolls and right here’s how: bake the rolls in step 9 for less than about 10 minutes. Cool fully, then cowl tightly and freeze. To serve, take the rolls out of the freezer and place within the fridge in a single day to thaw. As soon as thawed, end baking them for about 15–20 minutes.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Stand Mixer | Rolling Pin | 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls
- Milk: I like to recommend utilizing complete milk for the most effective, richest-tasting dough. You would additionally use buttermilk. Decreased-fat, low-fat, or nondairy milk works in a pinch. Don’t use nonfat milk.
- Yeast: You should use energetic dry or instantaneous yeast on this recipe. Observe the entire similar directions. If utilizing energetic dry yeast, the rise instances are normally barely longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Information for solutions to widespread yeast FAQs.
- Vanilla: I really like utilizing vanilla bean paste on this recipe as a result of it combines each extract AND vanilla bean seeds, and tastes phenomenal within the dough AND icing. You possibly can, after all, use pure vanilla extract as an alternative.
- Powdered Espresso Creamer: This ingredient is necessary within the filling. It provides a creamy-like consistency and style to the filling, which helps the filling replicate cake combine or cake batter. Should you don’t have it, you should utilize the identical quantity of nonfat instantaneous dry milk as an alternative.
- Alternate Icing Choice: As a substitute of cream cheese icing, you possibly can prime the nice and cozy rolls with vanilla icing.
Key phrases: cake batter cinnamon rolls, birthday cinnamon rolls