These Birthday Cake Brownies are an easy, yet delicious dessert to celebrate any occasion. A layer of funfetti cookies topped with fudgy brownies and mixed with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips bakes into a delicious surprise of flavors and textures.

A good, fudgy chocolate brownie with a rich chocolate flavor (like one bowl brownies) is a staple for any baker. Layer it with funfetti batter and you have a delicious combination of flavors.
No need to wait to celebrate a birthday with these birthday cake brownies. They are perfect for celebrating any day and this easy recipe uses staple baking ingredients.
About This Recipe
- TEXTURE: Soft and chewy with a light crunch of sprinkles and mini chocolate chips and finished with a crinkly brownie top.
- FLAVOR: Combination of rich, fudgy chocolate with sweet sugar cookie dough.
- EASE: Simple and fun!
- TIME: Done in under 1 hour.
- HIGHLIGHT: The perfect brownie birthday cake that celebrates any occasion!
Before You Begin
Take out the following baking equipment:
8x8-inch square Baking Pan
Parchment paper
Whisk
Small bowl
Medium bowl
Medium microwave-safe bowl
Large bowl
Rubber spatula
Read the recipe from start to finish.
Ingredient Notes
- Semi-sweet chocolate bar adds a rich flavor to brownies. It’s the preferred choice for its higher quality and better results compared to chocolate chips.
- A bit of cornstarch produces thicker brownies and improves the shiny crust.
- Adding an egg yolk to the cookie batter produces a light and chewy texture. Because of the extra fat, it also enriches the flavor of the cookie layer.
How to Make This Recipe (step-by-step)
- Whisk together the cookie batter dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla until the mixture becomes light and creamy. Add the melted butter and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and sprinkles to the butter mixture and mix just until combined.
- For the brownie batter, melt the chocolate and butter together until completely smooth.
- Whisk the sugar and egg together constantly for 2-3 minutes until pale in color.
Note: Whisking the eggs and sugar together until thickened and a pale yellow color is referred to as the “ribbon stage”. The mixture will fall from the whisk like ribbons. This technique creates taller and creamier brownies with a shiny crust.
- Add the melted chocolate to the sugar and egg and combine.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients along with the mini chocolate chips
- Scoop the cookie batter into a parchment-lined 8x8-inch square pan, leaving spaces between each scoop.
- Add the brownie batter to the pan to fill the gaps and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle with the sprinkles and mini chocolate chips.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F/177°C oven for 25 to 28 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations
- For an even fudgier brownie, substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar in the brownie batter.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder can be substituted for unsweetened (also known as natural) cocoa powder. This will result in darker brownies with an even more intense chocolate flavor.
- Add a layer of crushed Oreos between the cookie and brownie layers for a fun surprise.
How to Store
Keep these funfetti brownies stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Baking Success Tips and Takeaways
- Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients for consistent results. Using cup measurements can cause variations in ingredients, and too much flour will result in a more cakey brownie and less fudgy brownie.
- Rainbow sprinkles (or any color sprinkles) work best in these birthday brownies. Non-perils can bleed into the batter.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing. The chocolate and butter need to solidify before slicing.
- To double these birthday cake brownies, bake in a 9x13-inch rectangular baking pan. You will have to increase the time slightly to account for the extra batter.
More Birthday Recipes You'll Love
Please leave a starred rating and comment below if you make these Birthday Cake Brownies. I love reading your feedback! And if you'd like to make this recipe later, don't forget to pin it on Pinterest! Happy Baking!
PrintBirthday Cake Brownies
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Description
These Birthday Cake Brownies are an easy, yet delicious dessert to celebrate any occasion. A layer of funfetti cookies topped with fudgy brownies and mixed with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips bakes into a delicious surprise of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Batter
- 210 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 165 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 50 g (1/3 cup) rainbow sprinkles, plus more for sprinkling
For the Brownie Batter
- 55 g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 55 g (2 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped
- 75 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 35 g (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
- 20 g (1/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 60 g (1/3 cup) mini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling
Instructions
For the Cookie Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper to hang over the edges (to remove the brownies easily).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the melted butter while whisking until combined.
- Gently fold in the flour mixture and sprinkles until just combined.
For the Brownie Batter
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter and chopped chocolate for 30 seconds. Mix together and continue to microwave for 15-second intervals until melted and smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg for 2-3 minutes or until light and smooth. Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and vanilla while whisking to combine.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Drop large scoops of cookie batter into the prepared pan and slightly flatten. Fill in the remaining space with the brownie batter and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles and mini chocolate chips.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with some moist crumber. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before slicing.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Brownies & Bar
Keywords: birthday cake brownies, birthday brownies, brownie birthday cake, funfetti brownies
Kristen
What a fun dessert to make! My kids helped bake these and loved the results (as did my husband and I!). Next time I will try your suggestion and add a layer of crushed oreos 🙂
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Kristen! Thank you for sharing! It is a fun recipe to make with kids! The Oreos add a fun surprise 🙂 Happy Baking!
Joanna
Love how easy this recipe is! I made it for my son's birthday party (doubled the recipe) and it was a hit with the kids and adults!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Joanna! So happy you loved this recipe. It's always fun for parties 🙂