There’s something I love about the classic grocery store birthday sheet cake with the aggressively colorful frosting roses and the plastic balloon decorations somebody definitely kept in a junk drawer afterward for like seven years. That flavor.

These small-batch birthday cake muffins taste like that, except softer, warmer, and significantly less likely to stain your fingers (or lips) blue for two days.

I started making these muffins because sometimes I want “fun dessert energy” without actually making a whole cake (or even making a cake at all). And honestly? Six muffins feels manageable. A dozen starts feeling like a really big commitment.

These muffins are soft, buttery, and vanilla-y (I think that’s a word) with plenty of rainbow sprinkles baked right in, and they somehow manage to taste nostalgic in a way that’s hard to explain. Like elementary school birthdays. Or Funfetti sleepovers. You know what I mean, don’t you?

download our free

Meal Planner & Grocery List

dinner made easy

Why You’ll Love These Birthday Cake Muffins

These muffins are simple, cheerful, and unapologetically fun. They come together quickly, use basic ingredients, and make just enough to feel special without leaving twelve muffins sitting on your counter daring you to eat all of them right now.

They’re soft and fluffy like a bakery-style vanilla muffin, but the sprinkles and little hint of almond extract give them that unmistakable birthday cake flavor that somehow makes people irrationally excited. Including me, apparently.

Also, they’re cute. Which honestly does matter sometimes.

Ingredient Notes

• I’m starting off with the almond extract because while it’s technically optional, I don’t recommend skipping it. It’s the tiny little thing that makes these taste like actual birthday cake instead of just vanilla muffins with sprinkles. Please just trust me.
• The Greek yogurt or sour cream are what keeps the muffins soft and tender without making them heavy. I use Greek yogurt most of the time because it’s usually already in my fridge.
• You must use jimmies (the long sprinkles), not the tiny crunchy nonpareils. Nonpareils will bleed into the batter and create a slightly gray muffins that are a little bit scary.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F and line or grease a 6 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and sea salt together and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together until smooth.
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, milk, and Greek yogurt and whisk until combined.
5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until combined. Don’t overmix here.
6. Gently fold in the sprinkles gently at the end. Don’t stir them too much or they may bleed.
7. Use a 4 tablespoon cookie scoop to fill 6 muffin cups. If you have a little extra batter, make a smaller muffin, but don’t overfill the 6 muffin cups.
8. Sprinkle the tops lightly with sugar and extra sprinkles, if desired (but it seems silly to skip this).
9. Bake for 5 minutes at 425˚, then reduce to 375˚ and bake for 13-15 more minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
10. Let the muffins cool for a few minutes in the pan before serving.

Muffin Pan

This sturdy 6-cup muffin pan is perfect for small-batch muffins and all the “I don’t need 12 of these” baking moments.

shop this

Recipe Tips & Notes

• Don’t overmix the batter once you add the sprinkles or the colors will streak through everything.
• If your Greek yogurt is very thick, the batter may seem a little thicker than expected. That’s okay, they’ll bake up great.
• For tall bakery-style muffin tops, bake the muffins at 425°F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F for the remaining bake time. The initial burst of heat helps the muffins rise quickly and dome nicely.
• A little coarse sugar and extra sprinkleson top gives these that bakery muffin look and adds a nice texture (as well as al little crunch).
• These freeze surprisingly well if you want to stash a couple away for later (then just 20 seconds in the microwave will warm one right up).
• If you want these to lean more cupcake than muffin, add a quick vanilla glaze or frosting on top and fully commit to the birthday cake situation. These muffins can handle it.
• The batter will be fairly thick, which helps keep the sprinkles suspended instead of sinking straight to the bottom, so don’t worry, you did it right.

Storage Recommendations

Store the muffins tightly covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. I’m not going to lie, they’re best the first day, but honestly they’re still very good the next morning with coffee while standing in the kitchen staring off into space. Which is primarily how I eat muffins.

These muffins also freeze well. Just wrap them tightly or place them in an airtight container or Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or like I said, 20 seconds in the microwave and wa-la, ready to eat.

Small-Batch Birthday Cake Muffins

By: Kristine Underwood

Soft, fluffy small-batch birthday cake muffins made with vanilla, rainbow sprinkles, and a hint of almond extract for classic funfetti-style flavor. Perfect when you want birthday cake energy without making an entire cake.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Email SaveSaved!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Sweets & Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 muffins

Calories 257 kcal

Equipment

• 6 cup muffin pan
• 4 tablespoon cookie scoop

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour (all-purpose, spooned and leveled)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional, but highly recommended for that birthday cake flavor)
• 2 TBS milk (any kind)
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1/4 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles (not nonpareils)

Optional toppings

• extra sprinkles
• coarse sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425˚F and lightly grease or line 6 muffin cups.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
  1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp sea salt
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth.
  1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup sugar
• Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, milk, and Greek yogurt. Whisk until combined.
  1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract, 2 TBS milk, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Don’t overmix.
• Fold in the sprinkles gently.
  1/4 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles
• Divide batter evenly between the 6 muffin cups. Top with extra sprinkles and a little coarse sugar if you want the bakery-style look.
  extra sprinkles, coarse sugar
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
• Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• Store muffins in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Use jimmies-style sprinkles, not tiny round nonpareils. Nonpareils tend to bleed immediately and can turn the batter gray-ish in a very unfortunate way.
• The almond extract is optional, but it really gives these that classic boxed birthday cake flavor.
• Don’t overmix once the sprinkles go in or the colors will streak through the batter.
• Don’t overfill the muffin cups, 4 tablespoons is the perfect amount. 
• If your Greek yogurt is very thick, the batter may seem a little thicker than expected. That’s okay.
• The sugar on top gives these a lightly crisp bakery-style top that I highly recommend.
• Bake at 425˚ for the first 5 minutes, then reduce to 375˚ degrees for the remainder of the baking time.
• These are best the first day, when the tops are still lightly crisp and the inside is extra soft.
• If you want these sweeter and more cupcake-like, you can absolutely add a simple vanilla glaze on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 muffinCalories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 282IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg