Funfetti Cheesecake Cake
Everything’s better with sprinkles! This Funfetti Cheesecake Cake features a layer of cheesecake in between two layers of white cake…and lots of sprinkles! It’s a fun cake for any sort of celebration.
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Sprinkles make everything better. And in our house, cheesecake also makes everything better. So when you combine cheesecake with sprinkles? Well, that’s pretty much like winning the lottery! (Ok, maybe I’d take winning the lottery over a slice of this Funfetti Cheesecake Cake…but only if it’s the jackpot!)
While this fun dessert does take a bit of planning to make, there’s nothing too difficult here at all. The two layers of white cake are simply my go-to recipe for white cake…with a bunch of colorful sprinkles mixed in at the end. And the frosting? Same thing! It’s my go-to recipe for a delicious and creamy cream cheese frosting…with a bunch of colorful sprinkles mixed in at the end.
Funfetti Cheesecake Cake
I first stumbled across the idea of a ‘cheesecake cake’ several years ago, and since then I’ve made a bunch of different versions. They’re fun. They’re decadent. They’re delicious!
What is a cheesecake cake?
A cheesecake cake is a 3-layer cake. The top and bottom layers are a traditional cake – in this case, a white cake. The middle layer is a thin cheesecake. Once baked, the layers get stacked on top of each other and then covered with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese frosting is the perfect choice for cheesecake cakes as it pairs quite well with the layer of cheesecake.
As I mentioned in this previous post for Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls, the term ‘Funfetti’ is a combination of ‘fun’ and ‘confetti.’ It was originally coined by Pillsbury back in the late 80’s, but it has really taken off in popularity in recent years. Wander down the baking aisle at your local grocery store, and you’ll find all sorts of Funfetti-themed treats.
In fact, Buzzfeed shared an article on Funfetti desserts that are better than cake…including Funfetti Martinis and Funfetti Overnight Oats. Uhhh…ok. I know sprinkles make everything better, but maybe some things don’t need to be funfetti’d. This Funfetti Cheesecake Cake, though? Totally better with sprinkles (or jimmies)!
If you’re looking for a fun birthday cake, then put this Funfetti Cheesecake Cake on the list! Or maybe you’re just looking for a fun dessert to celebrate Friday – this cake will do the trick there, too. As we do with all of the cakes in our house, we saved a couple of slices of this cake for dessert. The rest of the cake got sliced up and frozen in individual slices. That way we can pull out a slice of this Funfetti Cheesecake Cake on a random Saturday night in a month or two. I can’t wait!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover cheesecake cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I also recommend pressing a piece of plastic wrap against the cut edges to prevent the cake from drying out. As noted above, this cake also freezes well. Just slice the cheesecake cake and wrap the individual slices in plastic wrap. Then freeze the slices in a freezer bag. Let thaw in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.
I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as we did here in our house. Happy baking!
Did you make this Funfetti Cheesecake Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Funfetti Cheesecake Cake
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake
- 16 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 large whole eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1⅓ cups sugar
- 1 large whole egg
- 3 large egg whites
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ⅔ cup rainbow sprinkles
For the Frosting
- 16 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3-3½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles plus more for topping
Instructions
For the Cheesecake
- Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth (about 3 minutes).
- Add the sugar and flour; mix until well combined.
- Whisk the eggs and egg yolk together and add to the bowl in 2 additions, mixing fully after each addition.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until fully combined. (Tip: Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the filling is fully mixed.)
- Spray a 9” springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and then pour cheesecake batter into pan.
- Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with a piece of aluminum foil and place in a large rimmed baking pan. Create a water bath by filling pan with ~1” of water. Bake at 325°F until center of cake is just barely set (~30-35 minutes). (Tip: Pull the cheesecake out of the oven when there is about 1" ring of "looser" filling left in the center of the cake.)
- Remove cake from oven and cool slightly. Wrap entire pan in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
For the Cake
- Grease and flour (2) 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until well combined; set aside.
- Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (~2-3 minutes on medium speed).
- Add the egg and egg whites; mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl; mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add the milk, sour cream, vanilla extract and almond extract; mix on low speed until well combined. Add the remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed until well combined. (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are fully mixed.)
- Fold in rainbow sprinkles (jimmies).
- Divide cake batter evenly into the two prepared pans.
- Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack until completely cool.
For the Frosting
- Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until frosting reaches desired sweetness.
- Beat frosting on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, or until fluffy.
- Add sprinkles and mix until well combined.
To Assemble Cheesecake Cake
- Place one layer of cake on a large plate. Spread ½ cup of frosting evenly on top of cake.
- Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and place on top.
- Spread ½ cup of frosting on top of cheesecake layer.
- Finally, place second layer of cake on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake using the remaining frosting.
- Decorate top of cake with additional rainbow sprinkles.
- Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.
Looking for more fun cheesecake recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
cant wait to make this soon for me for the cheesecake can i use vegan cream cheese and coconut cream / cake can i use vegan butter / oat milk and coconut cream and frosting can i use vegan cream cheese and butter i never had funfetti cheesecake cake before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I haven’t use vegan cream cheese/coconut cream for this recipe, Ramya – but I suspect it would still work well. Give it a try! Sprinkles are always fun!!
Wow!!! What a cake!!! You just can’t go wrong with sprinkles. I just think they make any day just a little brighter. Great combination of flavors in the cake too.
Just the cake + cheesecake alone is enough for me…but the sprinkles do take it up a notch in terms of fun. 🙂 Thanks, Kathy!
This definitely brings out the kid in me 😊 reminds me of those kids birthday parties. Nice one
Haha – I’m not sure I ever had a cheesecake cake at a kid’s birthday party. I need to go to the parties you’re going to, Raymund!
I would probably disagree on your statement that “Sprinkles make everything better”, but that’s just my personal thing (Normally, I’m not a huge fan of the texture they add!) But I must admit such desserts always look fabulous and so…happy! And well, I cannot ignore the cheesecake part, too. That being said, I would definitely try a slice and even two!
Well, there are definitely some places where sprinkles don’t work. As noted in the post, overnight oats? Uhhhh. Martinis? Even more uhhhh. But in a cake? Yes, please! If you aren’t a sprinkles fan, though, you could certainly omit them…the cake + cheesecake are delicious by themselves!!
oh my yes sprinkles make the world taste better! 🙂 this is so pretty, and i really need to eat some now david. Gorgeous cake!
Haha – I couldn’t agree more, Sherry! The sprinkles really add a fun element to this delicious dessert. 🙂
David, what a tasty-looking color explosion. I’m sure Robbie (and you guys) loved this one. But, I must also admit I’ve never been much of a sprinkle guy. Like Ben, it’s a texture thing. But, sprinkles of all colors and flavors are very popular here, especially on soft serve ice cream cones. Here they just roll the ice cream on the cone in a tray of sprinkles and it is covered (Eva always goes for chocolate sprinkles). Me, I just go for the ice cream.
You know, I’m not a fan of sprinkles on ice cream. Robbie, though? That’s his favorite! It wasn’t until this summer that he even comprehended the thought of ice cream without sprinkles. (I swear he used to prefer more sprinkles than ice cream!) As far as cake, though? I do love a good funfetti cake – call it comfort food!
Not only does this cheesecake cake sound fantastic and decadent, but it is also absolutely beautiful. What a fun recipe. I can think of many special occasions over the next year that this cake will be a perfect celebration for. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks so much, Kristy! You’ve already got something good going with the cake + cheesecake…and then the sprinkles just make it more festive. 🙂 Happy baking, my friend!!
Oh my deliciousness! THIS! Yes – funfetti can make some things glorious – though this cake+cheesecake is gloriously EPIC! How darn cool! I am addicted to Costco cake – those ones too are 2 layers of cake sandwiching a cheesecake center and frosted. But – your idea to funfetti it is stellar! Did I tell you my bday was this weekend? Oh wait – that’s why y’all saved those slices of this right? 😉
Sprinkles make everything fun! (Although if you ask me, I say cheesecakes makes everything fun – haha!) I haven’t had that Costco cake…mainly because we still don’t live in a Costco area. Bah! Oh wait. Your birthday is coming up!? Then this calls for cake, Shashi!! Come on up!!
This is the very definition of both fun and celebration, David. And I think the design is perfect.
Why thank you, kind sir. 🙂
You are enjoying the best of both worlds here David, cake and cheesecake, wow and the sprinkles make it so festive. Perfect cake for a celebration. I’m bookmarking this one. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Pauline! I do love this cake/cheesecake by itself, but the sprinkles add a fun festive vibe. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it as much as we do…err, did!
Looks delicious! Can you sub a no bake cheesecake in this?
Hey Janell! I haven’t tried it myself, but I would think a no-bake cheesecake would still work quite well here. If you have a good no-bake cheesecake recipe, give it a try and let me know how it turns out! I’ve made this No Bake Lemon Cheesecake before, and it’s awesome. To use that recipe, I would just change the lemon gelatin to vanilla and omit the lemon zest. It should work out well – in fact, I need to try that myself sometime! Happy baking!
This looks so good! What a great birthday treat!
Thanks, Suzanne!
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Thanks, Vanessa! You can make this cheesecake cake the day before serving it. Happy baking!
Tame consuming but worth it!
So glad you liked this recipe, Annette! You’re right – it does take some time since you’re basically making a cake AND a cheesecake…but it’s SO worth the time. 🙂
Hi! Silly question, so when I freeze the cheesecake it’s not 100% cool or do I wait to wrap and freeze after it is completely cooled?
Hey Ashley! That’s not a silly question at all. The good news is you can do either one. I typically just wait about 10-15 minutes for the pan to cool a bit and then wrap it (pan and all) with plastic wrap. You might see a few ice crystals the next day on the inside of the plastic wrap, but it won’t hurt the cheesecake at all. You can also let the cheesecake cool entirely and then wrap it. Oh, and one tip for getting the frozen cheesecake out of the springform pan the next day is to rotate the edge of the pan for a few seconds over a gas stove (if you have gas). (If you have electric, then just let it thaw for 20-25 minutes at room temperature, or until the pan releases easily.) I hope you enjoy this cake-cheesecake! 🙂
Can you make ahead and freeze this cake by chance?
Hey Kate! Yes, this cake can definitely be made in advance and frozen. I’d recommend thawing it in the fridge for 4-5 hours (or overnight), though. I hope you enjoy this cake!!
I had to bake my cheesecake for 45 minutes. It was definitely not ready in 30.
That’s strange! I’m not sure what would explain the time difference, Jeanette. Either way, I hope you enjoy this cheesecake cake! 🙂
Hello!
First, I’m making this week and I’m super excited! It looks SO good!!
I do have a couple of questions. I’m a little strapped for time, do you think I could use the funfetti box mix? I know it’s not ideal, but I’m not sure I have time to do the cake. Second, is it a bad idea to put sprinkles IN the cheesecake?
Thank you so much!
Hey Val! I hope you love this cake – it’s a fun one. I don’t think it would be a bad at all to use a boxed Funfetti mix to shorten the time on this one. Just make sure you can get (2) 9″ cakes out of one box – you might need two boxes. And I think sprinkles in the cheesecake sounds like fun. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that myself. Happy baking, and let me know how it turns out!!
Making it this week. Is the frosting stiff enough to pipe it out for decoration?? I plan on doubling the icing and doing a decorative border on the top and bottom of the cake.
Hey Robyn! Awesome – I hope you love this cake as much as we do here. It’s a great cake for celebrations. I’d say the frosting isn’t quite stiff enough to pipe as it is…it’s great for frosting a cake with a spatula, though. I’d recommend frosting the cake with the first part of the batch of frosting, and then adding a bit more confectioner’s sugar to stiffen it up more for piping. I’d estimate maybe half to a whole cup, but just start with a little bit at a time until the frosting stiffens up enough for piping. I hope this helps!!
Thank you!!! Realizing I am also going to have to double this recipe cause I have to feed 40 ppl. Hope it turns out ok. Eek.
Yikes! 40 people? That’s a bit party. Good luck with the baking and prep work – I’m sure the party will be fun!
I am making this as I looks great. Petty but can’t help. If you put 1/2 on first layer and 1/2 on cheesecake layer. You would not have any frosting left
Hey Kathy! I appreciate you leaving a comment, but the recipe calls for ½ cup of frosting in between the layers…not ½ of the entire batch of frosting. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It’s a fun one, and it’s always an instant party when we bring it out!
I made this cake for a friend’s 50th. I used 10” pans. I doubled the cake for the layers. For the cheesecake I tripled it so I could match the thickness of the cakes. It was a huge hit though!!!
Hey Trista! I’m so glad this cake was such a huge hit. This is a great cake for celebrating a 50th! 🙂 And thanks for the tips on the larger sized pans, too. Cheers!