Celebrate someone special today with this Birthday Cake Ice Cream. We love celebrating and this Birthday Cake Ice Cream is so fun to make with fun Sprinkles.
We celebrate big time when comes to Birthdays. This No Churn Birthday Cake Ice Cream is always requested. It is easy to make with easy ingredients, no egg yolk needed. Nothing says celebration than ice cream and sprinkles.
It is also the perfect No Churn Ice cream mixture to ring in Summertime. The Ice Cream is cool, refreshing and tastes amazing. It is fun serving in a waffle bowl or on top of a cone. No matter your age, this is a favorite ice cream.
Birthday Cake ice cream is super easy to make. No fancy equipment is needed. The texture is creamy and if stored properly no ice crystals will form. Surprise your family and make Birthday Cake Ice Cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will be so surprised that this ice cream only requires 6 ingredients. The Heavy Whipping cream that is added makes the ice cream so creamy. Sweetened Condensed Milk is added to bring out the sweetness.
For the cake batter taste, butter is added. Make sure you melt it before adding it to the mixture. Vanilla extract to bring at that warm flavoring. We like to purchase good quality vanilla extract.
We add in sprinkles and Funfetti Cake Mix to combine all the flavors together.
If you are celebrating a child’s birthday, make my Minecraft birthday cake too to make it more fun! Check out my snow cream recipe if you need more ideas.
Ingredients
- Heavy Whipping Cream, chilled
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter, melted
- Funfetti Cake Mix
- Rainbow Jimmie Sprinkles
A note on raw cake mix
Dry cake mix contains raw flour which is not recommended to eat without heat treating first. To heat treat spread the dry cake mix in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes then cool completely before adding to the ice cream mixture. This eliminates the raw flour concern while keeping all the birthday cake flavor that makes this recipe so good. You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals stirring between each until it reaches 165°F internally.
How to Make Birthday Cake Ice Cream
Follow along with my simple instructions to learn how to make your own birthday cake ice cream in your own kitchen.
Step 1 – Mix together cream and vanilla – With a stand up mixer or hand held mixer, beat together the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract until the cream is whipped and can form soft peaks.
Step 2 – Combine milk, butter and cake mix – In a separate bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, butter and Funfetti mix.
Step 3 – Stir together the two bowls – Then gently fold in the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Then fold in the rainbow sprinkles.
Step 4 – Add to loaf pan – Spread the mixture into a loaf pan and freeze for at least 4 hours until firm.
Step 5 – Serve and Enjoy – Serve and enjoy. The ice cream will keep covered in the freezer for up to 1 month.
How long does it last?
The ice cream will keep covered in the freezer for up to 1 month. Make sure the ice cream is well covered.
I also like to place a piece of wax paper directly on the ice cream. This helps to prevent ice crystals from forming and keeps the ice cream fresh. You can then place the regular cover on top of the container.
This double method seems to work great and results in really fresh ice cream every time.
Recipe Tips
- Freeze the bowl and beaters – I place my mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before whipping the cream to help whip it quicker.
- Add more sprinkles – We love adding sprinkles. If you are making it for someone special, mix in their favorite color of sprinkles.
- Quality ingredients – This recipe requires minimum ingredients, it is best to use high quality ingredients. Vanilla is a key ingredients. Make sure you use quality vanilla extract.
- Do not overmix- Be careful to not overmix the heavy cream. You want to only combine until you start to see peaks form.
- Heavy cream is best – While it can be tempting to swap this for milk, it will not taste the same. Heavy whipping cream makes the ice cream base rich and creamy.
- Serve between two cookies – Just scoop some of the ice cream between two cookies or graham crackers. Place back in the freezer and store. It is another tasty way to enjoy this ice cream.
Want Real Cake Pieces in Your Birthday Cake Ice Cream?
Adding actual pieces of cake to the base takes this from cake-flavored ice cream to genuinely feeling like you are eating frozen birthday cake with every bite. Here is how to do it:
Which cake works best
Yellow cake or white cake gives the most authentic birthday cake flavor — vanilla sponge or Funfetti both work beautifully. Bakery cupcakes are the easiest shortcut — pick up two from the bakery section and crumble them directly into the base.
How much to add
About 1 to 2 cups of loosely crumbled cake pieces gives you visible chunks in every scoop without overwhelming the ice cream base. Start with 1 cup if you want a subtler cake presence.
When to fold them in
Add the cake pieces right before transferring to the loaf pan — fold in gently so the pieces stay intact rather than breaking down into the base. Frozen cake pieces stay soft and do not turn icy which makes every bite genuinely satisfying.
The bakery cupcake shortcut
No need to bake a full cake — grab two frosted Funfetti cupcakes from the grocery store bakery section. Peel off the wrappers crumble them into rough pieces and fold them in. The frosting melts into little ribbons of extra sweetness throughout the ice cream.
Variations and Fun Ideas
Birthday Cake Ice Cream Pie
Press the finished ice cream mixture into a graham cracker or Oreo cookie crumb crust before freezing instead of a loaf pan. Freeze for at least 6 hours until completely firm then slice like a pie for the most impressive birthday dessert presentation.
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Scoop the frozen ice cream between two soft sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookies and press gently. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour until firm. A fun handheld treat the kids absolutely love.
Almond Extract Twist
Add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract alongside the vanilla extract for a more pronounced bakery-style cake flavor — almond extract is what gives many professional birthday cakes that slightly floral sweetness that is hard to place but completely irresistible.
Holiday or Team Colors
Swap the rainbow sprinkles for team colors school colors or holiday-themed sprinkles — red and green for Christmas blue and gold for a school spirit party or pink and purple for a princess birthday. The base recipe is the same and the sprinkles make it completely custom.
Cake Batter Style
Double the Funfetti cake mix for an even more pronounced raw cake batter flavor. Always heat treat the full amount before adding.
What kind of Sprinkles should I use?
We like using Rainbow Sprinkles. The brand we recommend getting is Rainbow Jimmies. These sprinkles do no easily melt or bleed into the ice cream.
The appearance of this ice cream is so pretty when you use the correct type of sprinkles. However, I do not recommend using sugar sprinkles in this recipe. These type of sprinkles will not look the same or have the desired outcome.
The Best Way to Serve the Ice Cream
Serve the ice cream in bowls, waffle bowls or cones. Top with extra Sprinkles if desired. This is optional but so delicious and really adds fun flavor of Birthday Cake Ice Cream.
Sometimes, we also add a dollop of whipped cream on top. It is delicious.
Topping Ideas
It is great served alone but we love these topping ideas.
- Drizzle caramel on top.
- Whipped cream.
- Chocolate sauce.
- Pecans or walnuts.
- Mini chocolate chips
- Mini Caramel chips
- Fresh berries such as blueberries, raspberries or strawberries.
How to Store
You can leave in the loaf pan but cover tightly in plastic wrap. I also suggest placing a piece of wax paper directly on top of the ice cream. This will prevent ice crystals.
If you like more of a soft serve style ice cream, allow it to sit on the counter a few minutes before scooping and serving.
Taste like Birthday Cake
This recipe is a must try for anyone that love Birthday Cake. The vanilla ice cream base is perfect with just the right amount of flavor.
You will love this Homemade Birthday Cake Ice Cream. It taste just like cake with the added Funfetti Cake Mix. It almost is like eating cake batter ice cream.
The super creamy mixture is why we love making it at home instead of having store bought ice cream. I hope you give this a try. It is super easy without any special tools or ice cream maker needed.
Make it today for a great treat your entire family will love. Everyone will love enjoying a bowl of ice cream packed with all the flavor of Birthday Cake. It is fabulous.
Frequently Asked Questions
It tastes like vanilla ice cream with a warm buttery cake batter undertone — the Funfetti cake mix and melted butter are what give it that unmistakable birthday cake flavor that goes far beyond plain vanilla with sprinkles.
No — the Funfetti cake mix is what makes the difference. The dry cake mix stirred into the sweetened condensed milk base gives it that authentic cake batter flavor that sprinkles alone simply cannot create.
Yes — fold in 1 to 2 cups of loosely crumbled yellow or white cake right before transferring to the loaf pan. Bakery cupcakes are the easiest shortcut. See the full guide in the cake pieces section above.
No — this is a true no churn ice cream. A hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the cream is all the equipment you need and the freezer does the rest.
More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes:
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Homemade Peach Ice Cream Recipe
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice cream
- Fanta Ice Cream Float Recipe
- Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich
- Easy Ice Cream Cake Recipe
Birthday Cake Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream chilled
- 14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp Butter melted
- 1 cup Funfetti Cake Mix
- ½ cup Rainbow Jimmie Sprinkles
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Before preparing the ice cream, heat-treat the Funfetti cake mix according to the package/manufacturer's food-safety guidance, then allow it to cool completely before using.
- For easier whipping, chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
- Add the chilled heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until soft peaks form.
- In a separate large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, melted and cooled butter, and cooled, heat-treated Funfetti cake mix until well combined.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until combined, being careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
- Gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles.
- Spread the mixture evenly into a loaf pan. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
- Scoop and serve.
This recipe is the best summer treat!
Mandi – We love it too. I’m thrilled your family enjoyed it!
OMG ? I died and went to ice cream heaven!!! I have to say I was a little skeptical when I had to add cake mix but I was pleasantly surprised!!! This recipe is definitely a keeper!!! THANK YOU!!!