Tender and fluffy Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls is like having birthday cake for breakfast! Fun, festive, easy to make, and they taste heavenly! This recipe is definitely one you want to have on your breakfast roster!

Cake for breakfast?! I’m all in! My youngest son proclaimed, “This is like having a birthday cake for breakfast!”

That’s a good thing!

They are festive looking!

It’s no secret that I love cinnamon rolls. I’ve shared many different cinnamon roll recipes with you.

There are many versions of Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls. Some recipes have the birthday cake flavor, which is a creamy-buttery-vanilla-sweet-with-colorful-sprinkles flavor, in the cinnamon filling. Some recipes have the flavor in the frosting. My recipe has the birthday cake flavor in the actual dough of the cinnamon roll. Therefore, the dough is flecked with various blue, pink, green, and orange making it festive.

I achieved this by using Pillsbury Funfetti® cake mix plus all-purpose flour for the dough. This makes the sweet rolls very tender and pillowy. Coincidently, you can use any flavor of cake mix and create a variety of different sweet rolls.

As well, you can change the filling from the traditional cinnamon filling to jam, marmalade, or fresh fruit.

One easy recipe with slight variations can give you so many different cinnamon roll options!

Additionally, check out this post for working with yeast!

Table of Contents

Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls

In this Twix Bars Sweet Rolls, I give very specific details on How to Measure Flour correctly.
As well, I used this Basic Cream Cheese Frosting recipe with 2 tablespoon sprinkles spread over the frosting.
Finally, I wrote this post Tips for Baking with Yeast. Read it first if you’re not familiar with using yeast.

Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Tender, fluffy, fun, and festive, Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls are also easy to make and they taste heavenly!

Author: Paula

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: 18 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH

15.25 ounce box cake mix (you will use the cake mix like a flour so you do not need the ingredients to make the cake that is listed on the box.)
4 and ½ teaspoon active dry yeast 2 packets
2 and ½ cups warm water warmed to 110 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 and ½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour

FOR THE FILLING

½ cup butter real salted or unsalted butter, not margarine
1 cup brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
*optional - 2 tablespoon sprinkles I did not use sprinkles in the filling. I spread 2 tablespoon sprinkles over the top of the Cream Cheese Frosting

FOR THE FROSTING

Basic Cream Cheese Frosting see link >> Cream Cheese Frosting recipe

Instructions

In a large liquid measuring cup, measure 2 and 1/2 cups warm water. Warm water for this recipe is between 110 degrees and 120 degrees F.
Pour in 4 and 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast. That's 2 packets if you purchase the packs.
Let it stand for 10 minutes to activate and foam.
Once yeast is active pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer. (It should be foamy and bubbly on top. If it's not, test the yeast and test the water temperature, read my post How to cook with yeast (link below) for questions and troubleshooting.)
Add cake mix, salt, flour, and vanilla.
Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes. Dough should pull away from the bowl and be a little sticky.
Spray a large bowl with non-stick vegetable spray and place dough in it to rise. Cover with plastic wrap that has also been sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. Place bowl in a warm, non-drafty place like your oven (that's not on) or microwave.
Let sit for 45 to 75 minutes until id is doubled in size. (Temperature and humidity will cause it to rise differently so just keep an eye on it.)
Punch the dough down and knead a couple of times, place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise a second time until it is doubled in size again.
Once the dough has gone through the second rise, remove it and place on a clean, floured surface.
Knead the dough 3 to 4 minutes with well-floured hands. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Roll it large enough so the dough is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Eyeball it or measure if necessary.
At this point, you'll want to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the filling - smear the softened butter over the top of the dough, carefully with a butter knife or your fingertips.
Next, sprinkle brown sugar over butter. Spread with hands to get it even.
Sprinkle ground cinnamon over brown sugar evenly. *If you're putting sprinkles in the filling sprinkle them evenly over the cinnamon now.
Starting on the long side, roll tightly to form a long, skinny log.
Slice into even rolls. I usually get 18 to 20 rolls.
Place the rolls in a greased 9x13 baking pan. 12 rolls will fit in a 9x13 inch pan. Place the remaining in another 9x13 pan if you have 12 more. Or place 6 rolls each in 3 round 9-inch square or round baking pans.
Regardless of the pan you choose, it will take the rolls 18 to 22 minutes to bake. You want the top to be browned lightly. You may have to center the center of the center roll for doneness. Cook at 2-minute increments until done in the center.
While cinnamon rolls are baking make the cream cheese frosting (recipe here)
Allow cinnamon rolls to cool 3 to 5 minutes before frosting.
Add sprinkles to the top of cream cheese frosting if desired.