Description
Start your morning with a burst of joy by baking these Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls. Soft, fluffy dough infused with vanilla cake mix wraps around a gooey cinnamon-sugar filling, then gets topped with thick, creamy frosting and a generous sprinkle of rainbow jimmies. Whether you’re looking for fun breakfast ideas, a quick celebration treat, or just an easy recipe that brings smiles, these rolls check every box. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert — and yes, they taste just like a cinnamon roll and birthday cake had the sweetest baby!
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vanilla or funfetti dry cake mix
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
2 tbsp dry cake mix (for filling)
¼ cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies, for filling)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
¼ cup rainbow sprinkles (for topping)
Instructions
1. Warm the milk to about 110°F, then mix with sugar and yeast. Let sit until foamy.
2. Stir in eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and dry cake mix.
3. Add flour and salt gradually, kneading into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
4. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
5. In a small bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tbsp cake mix. Fold in sprinkles gently.
6. Roll out the dough into a ¼-inch thick rectangle. Spread filling evenly over the surface.
7. Roll tightly from the long side into a log and slice into 12 even rolls.
8. Place in a greased 9×13 baking pan, cover, and let rise again for 30–45 minutes.
9. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22–26 minutes until golden and cooked through.
10. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. Beat until smooth.
11. Frost warm rolls generously and top with sprinkles. Serve immediately or store as needed.
Notes
Let the dough rise fully each time for the fluffiest result — patience pays off.
Always use jimmies (not nonpareils) to avoid color bleeding in your dough.
If you want gooier rolls, pour ¼ cup heavy cream over the unbaked rolls before baking.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 55mg