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Birthday cake cinnamon rolls in a white braiser. There is a lit candle in the middle and the rolls are garnished with sprinkles.
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5 from 3 votes

Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Light and fluffy rolls filled with a gooey birthday cake filling, and topped with smooth vanilla icing and sprinkles. These Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect touch to a special birthday breakfast.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Rising + Chilling time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Swedish
Diet: Low Salt
Servings: 20 servings
Calories: 334kcal

Equipment

  • stand or hand mixer

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 TBS. dry yeast
  • 1 ¼ cup water divided
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 beaten eggs
  • 4 ½ cups flour

Filling

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • cup funfetti cake mix
  • 3 tablespoon sprinkles

Icing

  • 2 tablespoon butter softened
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Rolls

  • Dissolve yeast in ¼ cup warm (room-temperature) water. (*I like to add a TBS. or so of sugar to boost it's activating power).
  • Heat ½ cup water in a small pan. Add butter, sugar and salt until butter melts. Add ½ cup cold water. Let sit until it cools to about room temperature (if it's too hot it will kill the yeast or curdle the eggs).
  • Beat eggs in mixer. Add yeast and butter/sugar/salt mixture. Add flour, one to two cups at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Dough will be very soft.
  • Let rise until double - it usually takes about an hour. Stir down. Cover with a wet tea towel (or damp cloth) and put in refrigerator. The longer left in the refrigerator, the easier it is to handle. 2 hours up to overnight will do the trick.
  • Roll out on floured board into a large rectangle.
  • Brush with melted butter.
  • Spread filling over the entire rectangle.
  • Moisten dough edges with a little water (dip finger in water and rub around outside edges) so dough will cling to itself. Carefully roll up, lengthwise. Cut into ½-1" discs using a piece of dental floss (slip floss under roll; bring ends up to top and cross floss, pull floss, cutting dough as you pull to cross. Move to next area you want to cut. This method keeps the discs round and prevents flattening the roll.)
  • Place on a greased baking sheet or dish about ½ inch apart.
  • Cover with a towel and let rise until double (about an hour).
  • Bake 400 degrees for 12-15 min. or until lightly or golden brown.
  • Ice while still slightly warm.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Icing

  • with a hand or stand mixer combine all ingredients.
  • Mix until smooth

Notes

Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar in the filling?
Yes you can, it will yield a sweeter filling while the brown gives a bit of a caramelized taste.
How long do these rolls last?
These rolls will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To revive a stale roll place it in the microwave with a cup of water and heat for 30 seconds.
EXPERT TIPS
Tip #1 Make the dough the day before a chill. The chilled dough is firmed and easier to work with.
Tip #2 Don’t stretch the dough as you are rolling it. If you stretch the dough while you are rolling it up, the middles of your rolls may popup during baking.
Tip #3 Don't kill your yeast by adding hot liquid to the mixture. Make sure your butter/sugar is cooled.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 398IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg