Small-Batch Birthday Cake Muffins with VIDEO!
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There’s never a bad time for some small-batch birthday cake muffins, am I right? Have a little bit of birthday cake whenever you want!

I have a cake problem (in addition to my cookie problem, yes). I love birthday cake and there are days, you guys, days I really want the tiniest piece of cake, but of course, there’s none in the house. And you know I’m not trying to BUY a cake, so I decided to invent a simple solution to this problem (one that didn’t require making a whole dang cake). Small-batch birthday cake muffins!
As you can see, these little muffins are super simple to whip up and the recipe only makes about 8 muffins total, so there are just enough for everyone to have one, or for you to have two on four separate occasions. No judgment here.

I can tell by the look on your face that you’re wondering what’s the difference between these small-batch birthday cake muffins and let’s say, a birthday cupcake. Well, in my honest opinion, these muffins are slightly more dense than regular cake and they have a lot less sugar. The whole recipe only has 1/4 cup of sugar to be exact!

Even though there is less sugar, these small-batch birthday cake muffins are still loaded with birthday cake flavor! And I promise you’ll never even miss the frosting!


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Small-Batch Birthday Cake Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 TBS lemon juice
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, melt butter.
- Add egg, vanilla, lemon juice, and milk and mix.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, and sea salt until just combined.
- Fold in rainbow sprinkles.
- Scoop batter into line muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
These are so cute! Rainbow sprinkles really do make everything better, and I love that with muffins, you can get that birthday cake feeling but with way less sugar!
Thank you so much Tracy! I totally agree, sprinkles make everything better!
These muffins look so cute! I have to make them for my kids’ birthday next time ๐
Thank you so much, Igor! They would be perfect for that!
These are so cute!!!!!!!!! I love them!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much Deanna! ๐
These look amazing! I would love muffins like this on my birthday!
Me too, Sara, me too! Thanks so much!
I think making muffins instead of cupcakes is a great idea. True that you can make a relatively “healthier” version. At least less sugar, which helps. The rainbow colours you have running through are fab, a great idea.
Thank you so much Helen! I think the sprinkles are my favorite part! ๐
This is the solution to allllll my craziest cake cravings. Love this so much!
Right Karly? I think these muffins are the. best. thing. ever. Thank you so much! ๐
We stumbled across this recipe during the pandemic, and it started a new family tradition! My family loves these and they make birthday breakfast extra fun. Thank you!