Celebrate anytime with buttery, sprinkle-coated birthday cake marshmallows. They’re easier to make than you think even with no box mix required.
Pillowy soft, these homemade marshmallows are tasty enough to eat on their own, but also make a fun addition to s’mores, hot cocoa, birthday cakes, and so much more.
What Makes these Marshmallows So Great
Considering just how much of a sweets addict I am, I just don’t get most ‘birthday cake’ and ‘funfetti’ recipes.
Other than actual cake, that is.
Try to convince me otherwise, but adding a bit of cake mix and sprinkles to a recipe does NOT affect the flavor enough for me to use the term ‘birthday cake’.
When I think of birthday cake, I think of rich, buttery flavor, with creamy vanilla frosting. And, yes, plenty of sprinkles.
Not flour – which is the main ingredient in all boxed cake mixes.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against boxed cake mix. And love to experiment with those mixes to create new recipes (like these cake mix blondies, or these double-decker stuffed brownies).
I just don’t use those mixes to create ‘birthday cake’ creations…unless it’s turning into an actual birthday cake.
So you can rest assured that these birthday cake marshmallows get their name not from the addition of cake mix…but from the buttery flavor you expect to actually taste in your birthday cake.
And, of course, lots of sprinkles.
- Soft and springy
- Full of vanilla and buttery cake flavor
- As many (or as few) sprinkles as you want
What You’ll Need:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/2 C + 2 T cold water (for gelatin)
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp butter extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 3 packs unflavored gelatin
- 3/4 C water (for syrup)
- 1/2 C corn syrup
- 1.5 C granulated sugar
Supplies:
- 9×9 square baking pan
- parchment paper
- Butter flavored cooking spray
- Silicone spatula (strongly recommend getting a seamless spatula)
- 6-inch offset spatula
- Whisk
- Stand Mixer
- Candy thermometer
- measuring cups and spoons
- fine mesh sieve
- 3-quart saucepan
- serrated knife (bread knife)
- air-tight container for storage
A Few Notes to remember:
Cornstarch: While powdered sugar frequently has cornstarch in it already, the extra cornstarch is added to prevent the powdered sugar from caking on the sticky marshmallow. Without it, marshmallows will often end up too sticky to handle.
To Corn Syrup or Not: I’ve made marshmallows with and without corn syrup. Using natural ingredients like maple syrup will slightly alter the flavor, which is why I opted for corn syrup in this recipe.
Candy Thermometer vs. Digital Thermometer: You’ll notice in the photos below that I didn’t actually use a candy thermometer.
We’ve owned two, and both of them were wildly inaccurate. That’s a recipe for disaster in candy making. That said, be very careful with a digital thermometer around hot candy. You really don’t want to burn yourself on hot syrup.
Step-by-Step Directions:
To make things easy for you, I’ve got a photo tutorial right here to show the entire process. You can also watch the tutorial in the video player in this post or over here on YouTube to see the entire process.
For a detailed step-by-step process with all the measurements you need, you’ll want to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Before Getting Started: Prepare a 9×9 pan with criss-crossing sheets of parchment paper and a little bit of butter flavored cooking spray.
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients – Make sure there are no big lumps left
Step 2: Dust your pan using a small amount of the powdered sugar mixture from step 1.
Step 3: Let the gelatin bloom – Combine the water and extracts in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin on top
Step 4: Make the syrup – Combine water, corn syrup, and granulated sugar into a 3-quart or larger saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 240°F.
Step 5: Temper the gelatin – Pour a small amount of the syrup into the gelatin mixture. Whisk on low.
Step 6: Whisk in the remaining syrup – Slowly add the remaining syrup. When combined, increase speed to high and beat until tripled in volume and fluffy. Add a tablespoon or two of sprinkles to the mixture and whisk until just combined.
Step 7: Pour into the prepared pan. Use a spatula that’s been sprayed with butter flavored spray to get the marshmallow fluff into the pan and smooth out the top.
Step 8: Add sprinkles to the top of the mixture and let sit for at least 3 hours or overnight until set.
Step 9: Remove the marshmallows from the pan by lifting them out with the edges of the parchment paper
Step 10: Cut the marshmallows into 1-2 inch cubes with a serrated knife.
Step 11: Toss the marshmallows in the remaining powdered sugar mixture to reduce stickiness.
Important Tips:
Don’t skip these tips – read them before you start cooking to avoid any potential mistakes.
Tip #1: Resist the Urge to Stir the Syrup while it boils
Stirring the syrup while it boils will cause the sugar to crystallize, which will ruin the texture of the marshmallows. No one wants that.
Tip #2: Don’t cover the marshmallows as they set
The marshmallows need air circulation to let the excess moisture evaporate. Also…if you cover the pan it will stick to the top of the marshmallow and ruin your smooth surface.
Tip #3: Have warm water available when cutting the marshmallows
Marshmallows are sticky business. There’s just no getting around that. Which is why it’s helpful to rinse your knife off every now and then with warm water. Then give it a wipe with a paper towel and get back to slicing.
FAQs:
Why did the temperature stop rising?
When boiling a sugar syrup it’s not uncommon for the temperature to stall at different intervals (mine always seems to stall at 225˚F).
Be patient, keep an eye on it, and give it some time. The temperature will start rising again.
How long will the marshmallows last?
These marshmallows are best if eaten within a few days, but will keep for up to two weeks if kept in an airtight container.
What to serve birthday cake marshmallows with?
Honestly, these marshmallows are tasty enough to have right on their own. But if you’re looking to make more fun treats with them, you can also use them:
- Inside s’mores,
- To top chocolate shakes,
- To top off cakes, and
- In hot chocolate
If you liked these birthday cake marshmallows, you’ll love these homemade chocolate marshmallows, and no corn syrup eggnog marshmallows.
Or you can check out all my other desserts right here.
Homemade Birthday Cake Marshmallows Recipe
Celebrate anytime with buttery, sprinkle-coated birthday cake marshmallows. No box mix required and they're easier to make than you think!
Ingredients
Marshmallow Coating:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
Gelatin Mixture
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 ounce unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes)
Syrup Mixture
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1.5 cup granulated sugar
Toppings
- 3 Tablespoons multicolored sprinkles
Instructions
Before Cooking:
- Cut two pieces of parchment paper just the width of a 9-inch square pan, but long enough to curl up and over both sides of the pan.
- Layer the two pieces of parchment paper in the pan in opposite directions. Make sure you crease the paper into the bottom corners.
Tip: A bit of cooking spray between the two layers helps hold the parchment paper in place. - Spray the top layer of parchment with a light coat of butter-flavored cooking spray to help the marshmallow mixture separate after setting.
- Prepare a silicone spatula and a small (6-inch) offset spatula with butter-flavored cooking spray.
Prepare the Marshmallow Coating:
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup cornstarch. Make sure there are no big lumps left.
- Using a sieve, sprinkle a small amount of powdered sugar mixture (about 1/8 cup) onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Set the remaining mixture aside.
Prepare the Gelatin Mixture:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp cold water, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
- Sprinkle 3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin (about 3/4 ounce) on top of the liquid. Set aside to bloom.
Make the Syrup:
- Combine 3/4 cup water, 1 1/4 cup corn syrup, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar into a 3-quart or larger saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- Allow the mixture to boil, without stirring. Use a digital or candy thermometer to watch the temperature of the sugar mixture, and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 240°F, about 8-10 minutes.
Make the Marshmallow Mixture:
- Pour a small amount of the hot syrup into gelatin mixture and whisk on low.
- Slowly add the remaining syrup. When combined, increase speed to high and beat until tripled in volume and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles to the mixture and combine on low speed until distributed throughout.
- Using prepared silicone spatula, scrape the marshmallow mixture into the parchment covered pan. Use the prepared offset spatula to smooth out the top then cover generously with remaining rainbow sprinkles.
- Set aside to cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Cut the marshmallows:
- When the marshmallows have completely set, use the sides of the parchment paper to pull the marshmallow block from the pan and place on a cutting board.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the marshmallows into 1 to 2-inch squares.
- Toss the marshmallows in the remaining powdered sugar mixture.
Notes
- Resist the urge to stir the sugar as it boils. Doing so will cause the sugar to crystallize and will ruin the texture of the marshmallows.
- Do not cover the marshmallows as they set. Any covering will stick to the top of the marshmallows and ruin the smoothed out top
- Keep warm water at-hand while cutting to rinse off your knife if it gets too sticky.
- Marshmallows are best if eaten within a few days, but will keep for a month or so if kept in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
50Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
This post was originally published on April 5, 2018. It has been updated with new photos, tips, FAQs, and detailed step-by-step instructions.
Jem says
I’ve never tried to make my own marshmallows before, but I love these and I bet kids would love them too.
Lizzie says
Wow, these look so fun! I never thought of making marshmallows before, I guess it could be great for vegetarians if you swap out the gelatin. And I know exactly what you mean about the buttery goodness of birthday cake.
Debbye says
Oh my goodness, these look heavenly. I’m always looking for sweet treats for my grandchildren. Thanks for sharing and your blog is super cute too!
Jenn says
These look so fun! My kids would go crazy for these!
Monica | Nourish & Fete says
I love to make homemade marshmallows, though I haven’t in far too long. Thanks for this nice post to remind me how simple it really is! And how fun when you add all those bright sprinkles! 🙂
Emily says
I’ve never made homemade marshmallows but these look like such fun!
Shashi at SavorySpin says
My mom used to make homemade marshmallows and I LOVED them – these remind me of hers – only in delicious, rich and buttery birthday cake form 🙂 YUM!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
What a fun marshmallow! I’m not a fan of marshmallows but I sure would try one of these! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Hope you have a great week.
Susan Buonpane says
I love homemade marshmallows but never veered from just vanilla. So excited to try your recipe.
Karen Del Tatto says
These look so fun! And delicious too!
Thanks for sharing!
Amanda says
Wow these look so cool! I never thought about making my own marshmallows but I really wanna try now 🙂 xx
Jenny says
These look amazing! I love birthday cake & marshmallows . These would be good for my son’s birthday at school. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday. I hope you can come to the party next week.
Teresa says
Cool. My son loves marshmallows, so I’ll probably try this for his birthday.
Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party. Pinned.
Chas says
These look so beautiful and fun! Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
Tiffany@ The Bigger the Mess says
Lies I tell myself: I probably won’t like these. lol!! They look SO good! sprinkles are my weakness. Sprinkles in marshmallows sounds amazing. I’ll definitely have to try these!
Julie @ Back To My Southern Roots says
What fun marshmallows! They look absolutely scrumptious and colorful! Thanks for sharing the recipe on Foodie Friday! I shared the link on Facebook!
Akaleistar says
Those marshmallows look so fun!
Jann Olson says
They are so fun, and I bet they are yummy too! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
laura says
These are so SUPER fun! I love them, pinned and shared. Thanks for linking up to the Friday Frenzy.
Jennifer says
These are seriously the most fun things ever! I love the sprinkles!
Jamie H says
Thanks so much for linking up at The Pretty Pintastic Party! We love your post, so we’ll be featuring it at the party this weekend! I hope you stop by, link up some more fabulous posts, and grab a featured badge!
P~ says
Homemade marshmallows are the best! Yours look so cute! Pinned! And thank you so much for joining us on Friday Frenzy! P~
Colleen - Faith, HOpe, Love, & Luck says
A great excuse to rush out and buy lots and lots of sprinkles!!! (Like anyone ever needs an excuse for that!!!)