Birthday Cake Fudge is a creamy, double-decker fudge that looks like funfetti cake with chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles! Filled with birthday cake flavors and soft, cake-like Nilla Wafers, this easy microwave fudge is ready in just 5 minutes-perfect treat for a birthday party or any celebration.
Be sure to try festive Funfetti Cake Pops and Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops too!
This flavorful birthday cake fudge recipe is so. much. fun!
The creamy vanilla fudge base has gooey marshmallows, cake-like Nilla Wafers, a hint of almond, and rainbow sprinkles, topped with dark chocolate marshmallow fudge and more festive sprinkles.
Made with simple ingredients in the microwave-no candy thermometer needed-this easy fudge recipe is a delightful treat for Christmas platters, birthday parties, and any special day.
Plus, each piece looks like a little piece of birthday cake with frosting!
🎂Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- White chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips. Use premium chocolate, such as Ghirardelli, for the smoothest melting and the tastiest fudge.
- Unsalted butter. A half stick of butter makes the fudge extra creamy and adds to the birthday cake batter flavor. Cut the butter into small pieces so it melts quickly and evenly.
- Almond extract. A hint of almond extract enhances the birthday cake fudge flavors. Use it to taste -- too much can be overpowering.
- Mini Nilla Wafers. You can also use regular Nilla Wafers and cut them into large pieces.
- Sprinkles (jimmies). Jimmies, rod-shaped sprinkles, will bleed color less than nonpareils and other types of sprinkles. I use jimmies in the white chocolate layer and nonpareils on top, since they don't bleed when sprinkled (vs. mixed in).
🍪Variations
- Flip the layers! Make a chocolate cake batter fudge with white chocolate "frosting!"
- Make just one layer -- use all white chocolate chips or all dark chocolate chips.
- Try a different flavor of extract in the white fudge layer, like orange, maple, or peppermint!
- Stir in another type of cookie, like chocolate chip cookies, Golden Oreos -- or whatever the birthday boy or girl loves!
- Make it on the stovetop! Gently heat and stir the fudge ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and creamy.
🥣How to Make Birthday Cake Fudge
Step 1: Combine white chocolate chips, butter, condensed milk, mini marshmallows, and salt in a mixing bowl. Microwave 45 seconds, then in short intervals, stirring until melted. Add almond and vanilla extracts, then mix in Nilla Wafers.
Step 2: Very briefly mix in the sprinkles, pour the fudge into a square 8-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper, and gently smooth the top.
Step 3: Combine dark chocolate, butter, condensed milk, marshmallows, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds, stir, and another 15-30 seconds, as needed, until melted. Stir in the vanilla extract and briefly reheat (15 seconds), if needed.
Step 4: Gently spread the chocolate layer over the white chocolate layer. Immediately add more sprinkles and gently press to adhere them to the fudge.
Step 5: Chill the fudge for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Remove fudge from the fridge 15-20 minutes before cutting.
Step 6: Cut the fudge into small squares, wiping the blade between cuts, if necessary.
👉Top Tip: Jimmies, the rod-shaped sprinkles, will run less than other types of sprinkles. To avoid the color running, use jimmies in the white layer and very briefly stir them into the fudge. Jimmies and nonpareils work well on the top layer and do not bleed color.
☑️Tips
- Be careful not to overheat or overstir the fudge. Overheating can cause the fudge to seize, and overstirring can cause it to seize or separate and become oily.
- If your fudge seizes or becomes oily, don't panic! Or throw it away! You can probably save it. See FAQs on the post for details.
- Remove fudge from fridge 15-20 minutes before cutting for easiest cutting and to prevent splintering.
❓FAQs
Store your batch of fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator 5 days. After a day or two, the Nilla wafers will get soft and cakey, like birthday cake!
Yes. To freeze fudge, tightly wrap it in wax paper and again in aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for 2-3 months and thaw in the fridge.
To fix grainy fudge, which has likely been overheated, or oily fudge, usually a result of over-stirring, gently reheat the fudge and stir in a little warm water or heavy whipping cream until it becomes smooth and glossy again.
This creamy fudge has two layers of birthday cake yumminess! The bottom white fudge layer is white chocolate, gooey marshmallows, butter, sweetened condensed milk, Nilla Wafers, sprinkles, and a hint of almond. The top layer is a basic chocolate fudge with condensed milk, marshmallows, and butter, topped with sprinkles.
🎆More Recipes
💌Let's Stay in Touch
Follow Midwestern Holidays on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!
📖 Recipe
Birthday Cake Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups white chocolate chips I recommend Ghirardelli
- 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes, divided
- 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, divided
- 1 ½ heaping cups mini marshmallows, divided
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 1 cup Mini Nilla Wafers or regular Nilla Wafers, chopped
- salt
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips I recommend Ghirardelli
- ½ cup sprinkles, divided Jimmies
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper or foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir white chocolate chips, 3 tablespoon cubed butter, ⅔ can condensed milk (¾ cup + 2 tbsp), 1 heaping cup mini marshmallows, and ½ teaspoon salt. Microwave 45 seconds and stir. Continue heating in 30-second increments, stirring gently, until chips, butter, and marshmallows are mostly melted. Mix in almond and vanilla extracts. Heat 15-30 seconds more if needed. Stir in Nilla Wafers, then briefly stir in sprinkles (to avoid color bleeding). Pour into the prepared pan and gently smooth the top.
- In a small bowl, stir dark chocolate, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, ⅓ can condensed milk, ½ heaping cup mini marshmallows, and a dash of salt. Microwave 30 seconds and stir. Heat another 30 seconds (or more as needed) until mixture is melted. Stir in the vanilla.
- Gently spread the chocolate fudge layer over the white chocolate fudge layer. Immediately sprinkle the top of the fudge with more sprinkles and gently press them into the fudge with a spatula.
- Chill fudge for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Use a sharp knife to cut fudge into small squares, wiping the blade between cuts.
Notes
- Jimmies, rod-shaped sprinkles, run less than other types of sprinkles. Still, very briefly stir them into the fudge. Nonpareils work fine on the top layer without bleeding color.
- Be careful not to overheat or overstir the fudge. Overheating can cause the fudge to seize, and overstirring can cause it to seize or separate and become oily. If this happens, don't panic! See FAQs on the post to see how to save it.
- Remove fudge from fridge 15-20 minutes before cutting for easiest cutting and to prevent splintering.
Leave a Reply