Birthday Cake Fudge

Birthday cake fudge is wildly popular because it takes only 10 minutes to prepare and it wins smiles with its fun and festive appearance. The dreamy white fudge topped with colorful sprinkles is like a funfetti cake in bite-size form. What sets this fudge recipe apart from others is the use of boxed cake mix as a stabilizer—a popular hack for making fudge.

This colorful treat is fun for office birthday celebrations or for cheering up a friend. And your kids won’t mind if you keep this fudge in the fridge for a finger-friendly sweet treat. Plus, birthday cake fudge can be tailored to any occasion or holiday just by changing up the color of the sprinkles.

Ingredients for Birthday Cake Fudge

• Funfetti cake mix: This ingenious ingredient makes it easy to pack lots of birthday cake flavor into the fudge. Use one of the best confetti cake mix brands for the best-tasting fudge.
• Sweetened condensed milk: It’s worth keeping a few cans of this thick, sticky sweetener in the pantry. That way, you can make this fudge and other sweetened condensed milk recipes anytime you wish!
• White baking chips: Also known as baking melts or candy melts, this ingredient is a favorite for candies and cakes because it melts quickly and smoothly.
• Sprinkles: Use a multicolor birthday sprinkle blend to top the fudge before it cools and hardens.
• Butter: Butter helps the baking chips and condensed milk come together into a smooth mixture.
• Salt: Just a pinch of salt makes all the flavors in this fudge really shine. If you’re using salted butter, you can omit this ingredient.

Directions

Step 1: Make the fudge mixture

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil or parchment paper, and grease it lightly. In a large heavy saucepan, cook and stir the sweetened condensed milk, baking chips, butter and salt over low heat until they’re smooth.

Step 2: Add the cake mix

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cake mix until it’s dissolved.

Editor’s Tip: Adding the powdered cake mix to the hot liquid immediately ensures it cooks enough for food safety. Make sure it fully dissolves to achieve a smoother consistency.

Step 3: Chill the fudge

Spread the fudge mixture into the prepared pan and top it with sprinkles. Refrigerate it until it’s firm, about two hours.

Editor’s Tip: If you add the sprinkles to the warm mixture, the colors will bleed into the light-colored fudge. Adding them on top keeps it pretty.

Step 4: Cut the fudge

Use the edges of the foil or parchment to lift the fudge from the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut the fudge into 1-inch squares. Serve the fudge immediately, or transfer the pieces to a tightly sealed container.

Birthday Cake Fudge Variations

• Match the sprinkles to the occasion: Birthday cake flavor is a hit any time of the year, but you can customize the fudge to match holidays or special occasions. Top the fudge with red and green sprinkles for Christmas, patriotic colors for Independence Day, or purple, orange, green and black sprinkles for Halloween.
• Add dried fruit: Give birthday fudge a fruity kick and color by adding dried blueberries, cranberries or cherries.
• Add nuts: Try chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds for added texture. Toast the nuts first to make them extra flavorful in the fudge.

How to Store Birthday Cake Fudge

To protect the soft and creamy texture, store birthday cake fudge in a tightly sealed container. It’s best to fill the container as full as possible, leaving little to no air, so pick the container size accordingly. Store the fudge in the fridge.

How long does birthday cake fudge last?

When stored properly in the fridge, the birthday cake fudge will last for up to one week.

Can you freeze fudge?

Yes, you can make fudge last longer by storing it in the freezer for two to three months. Wrap the birthday cake fudge in waxed paper, and then in a layer of aluminum foil. Place the fudge in a freezer-proof container or resealable freezer bag. The fudge should be stored in the coldest part of the freezer to maintain a consistently cold temperature. Move the container or bag of fudge to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight before serving it.

Birthday Cake Fudge Tips

How do I keep the baking melts from seizing?

Although baking melts are very easy to use, it’s essential to melt them correctly to prevent them from seizing. (Seizing is when the melted mixture becomes hard, gritty and unusable. This can also happen with chocolate.) First, make sure no droplets of water land in the melted mixture; water will cause it to seize immediately. Second, take care to heat the baking melts gently and briefly. Once they have melted with the other ingredients, remove the pan from the heat immediately. Heating the baking melts too long or over too high a temperature also causes seizing.

Is it safe to use boxed cake mix for fudge?

Boxed cake mix contains raw flour, which is not recommended for consumption unless it has been heat-treated. If you prefer, you can spread the boxed cake mix on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake it in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes first, or microwave it in a bowl until it reaches 165°. Allow it to cool, then add it to the recipe as directed.

Watch How to Make Birthday Cake Fudge

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