Take your party to a whole new level with this Funfetti Cheesecake! This colorful dessert is so fun to make and it’s the perfect way to celebrate any occasion!
If you are interested in more cheesecakes, be sure to try my Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake. If you are looking for an easier recipe, you will love this No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake! Or if you have a truck loving kiddo, try this monster truck cake!
This creamy Vanilla Funfetti Cheesecake is bursting with sprinkles! And to make it even better, it is baked on a cake bottom crust instead of the typical graham cracker cheesecake crust. This cheesecake is so colorful and cute, it will put a smile on everyone’s face!
Funfetti Cheesecake Ingredients
- White Cake Mix: The cake mix serves as the base for the crust or the cake layer of the cheesecake. It provides a light and fluffy texture, replacing a typical graham cracker crust.
- Butter: Butter is needed to provide richness and enhance the flavor. It also helps bind the ingredients together and adds moisture to the final cake.
- Eggs: Eggs play a crucial role in providing structure and stability to the cheesecake. They also contribute to the texture and help bind the other ingredients together.
- Milk: Milk is used to add moisture and richness to the cake mix or the cheesecake batter. I recommend using whole milk.
- Cream Cheese- This is the star ingredient in cheesecakes. It provides the creamy and tangy flavor that we associate with cheesecake. It also contributes to the smooth and luxurious texture of the dessert. Do not use fat free cream cheese.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is added to provide sweetness to the cheesecake. It balances out the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- Flour: We need additional flour for beyond the cake mix to provide structure and help hold the ingredients together. It also contributes to the texture of the dessert.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is added to the cheesecake batter to create a rich and creamy texture. It adds moisture and contributes to the smoothness of the final product.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract is used to enhance the flavor of the cheesecake. It adds a warm and aromatic note to the dessert.
- Frosting: You can use storebought frosting or make your own using the instructions below.
- Food coloring: This is optional but it makes the cake colorful! I recommend gel food coloring for the best results.
- Sprinkles: Obviously, you need sprinkles to make a Funfetti Cheesecake, otherwise it’s just a regular cheesecake!
What Is Funfetti Cake?
Funfetti cake mix is just white cake mix with sprinkles added in. The sprinkles sort of melt in the cake while it’s baked creating a fun colorful, watercolor look to the cake. In this recipe I made my own funfetti mix by using a basic white cake mix and adding in a BUNCH of sprinkles. You are welcome to substitute a boxed funfetti mix, but I recommend adding even more sprinkles!
Load In The Sprinkles!
You are going to need a large container of sprinkles for this recipe – probably 16 ounces or larger. Both layers of this cheesecake – the bottom cake layer and the actual cheesecake layer – both have sprinkles mixed in; plus more on the top! You are welcome to use whatever sprinkles you like; I used a mix of multiple kinds of sprinkles, and I added in really colorful nonpareils. I used colorful sprinkles and Nonpareils – not pastel – so they would be visible after baking.
Tips For Best Results When Baking A Cheesecake:
- Before baking, try to pull out all of your cheesecake ingredients and let them come to room temperature. This lets the ingredients combine easily and become smooth when mixing.
- Don’t skip the water bath. This will help eliminate cracking in the cheesecake.
- Before cutting the cheesecake, run your knife under warm/hot water. Then wipe the knife blade with a warm, damp paper towel in between cutting slices.
Funfetti Cheesecake
Description
Take your party to a whole new level with this Funfetti Cheesecake! This colorful dessert is so fun to make and it’s the perfect way to celebrate any occasion!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 stick butter (melted)
- 2 eggs
- 1 C milk
- gel food coloring of choice (I used teal)
- 4–5 tbsp sprinkles
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 32 ozs cream cheese (4 8 oz packages) (softened )
- 1 1/2 C sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 C heavy cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 C sprinkles
For the Frosting
- 1 large cans vanilla frosting (I used Pillsbury Hot Pink)
- sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cake Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 10 inch Spring-form pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the dry cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and milk, and blend on low until mixed. Then increase the speed to high and mix for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add in the gel food coloring, a few drops at a time, mixing in between drops, until desired color is reached. Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula.
- Pour about half of the batter* into the Spring-form pan. Smooth out the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven to a wire rack to cool.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Leave your oven preheated to 350 degrees.
- Place the softened cream cheese in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla, and blend. Add the heavy cream and eggs, and blend until completely mixed. Add the flour and mix well, until blended smooth. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in the sprinkles.
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top of cooled, baked cake in the Spring-form pan. Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake the cheesecake for 1 hour**. In an oven safe dish, place a small dish of water under the cheesecake, to keep it moist while it bakes and to avoid cracks.
- When the cheesecake has baked for one hour, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, open the oven door slightly and leave the cheesecake in the warm overn for another 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, remove the cheesecake to a wire rack to finish cooling. When the cheesecake is cool, cover with foil, and place in refrigerator, overnight for best results. This will allow the cheesecake to set***.
Decorating the Cake
- Place the frosting cans in the refrigerator overnight, along with the cheesecake, to chill.
- About an hour or two before you are ready to serve the cheesecake, remove it from the refrigerator and remove the spring-form from the outside of the pan. Place the cheesecake on your serving plate.
- Place a frosting tip in a pastry bag, and then fill the bag with both cans of frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the cheesecake in rows, until the top of the cheesecake is completely covered.
- Sprinkle the frosting with your sprinkles of choice – be generous with the sprinkles.
- Place the cheesecake back in the refrigerator, uncovered, to chill, and to make sure the frosting doesn’t fall, or melt, until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, cut in 2 or 3 inch pieces, and sprinkle a few more sprinkles around the plate. Serve, and Enjoy!
Notes
*I made cupcakes from the remaining cake batter
**If the cheesecake becomes too brown on top, you can make a foil tent and place it over the cheesecake to prevent over browning
***If the cheesecake is a little wiggly in the center after baking, that’s okay, it will set up in the refrigerator. It really does need to stay in the fridge overnight in order to set the cheesecake.
