Birthday Cake Cheesecake Bars are a fun and delicious twist to the original Pillsbury cake mix by including layers of cream cheese and vanilla pudding mixture on top of buttery crushed vanilla Oreo cookies then topped with cool whip and colorful sprinkles!
This no-bake birthday cake cheesecake bars recipe is perfect for kids’ birthday parties alongside Rainbow Popcorn, Homemade Blue Bubble Gum Ice Cream, and Funfetti Cake. While I’ve made the base with crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, you can easily use this Graham Cracker Crust instead.
Make this colorful and scrumptious birthday-inspired cake the day before or well in advance by storing it in the freezer. It’s incredibly easy to make and is sure to be a hit! If this cake gets you excited, you may also like to try similar desserts such as Brownie Bottom Cheesecake, No Bake Oreo Cheesecake, and Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle.
Why You’ll Love these Cheesecake Bars
- This recipe allows you to enjoy the best of traditional funfetti birthday cake combined with no-bake cheesecake! You no longer have to choose.
- This dessert is freezer-friendly which means that you can prepare it ahead of time for added convenience.
- Birthday Cake Cheesecake Bars is a bright and colorful dessert, perfect for celebrations such as parties, baby showers, or other special occasions.
What Ingredients Do I Need for Birthday Cake Cheesecake Bars?
- Vanilla sandwich cookies – These cookies blend well with the vanilla cheesecake filling and pudding mix layer although you can easily use Graham crackers instead.
- Butter – Using salted butter means that you don’t need to add any salt as an ingredient. It also brings out all the flavors of the dessert. Melt your butter for adding to the crushed cookies and keep some extra aside for greasing the glass dish.
- Cream cheese – This ingredient must be softened at room temperature so that it mixes well with the other ingredients into a smooth consistency for the cheesecake filling.
- Powdered sugar – Always measure your powdered sugar with accuracy using measuring spoons or a scale. Too much will dry out the cheesecake filling and make this dessert overly sweet.
- Vanilla extract – I always use the high-quality extract for all of my desserts and sweet treats.
- Frozen whipped topping – You’ll need something like Cool Whip which must be defrosted and then divided between the cheesecake filling, the instant pudding mix, and any extra for topping the cake with.
- Rainbow sprinkles – These are gently folded into the cheesecake filling so that the colors don’t bleed. Keep some extra sprinkles aside for decorating the top of the cake.
- Vanilla instant pudding mix – You can use whichever brand you prefer. A white chocolate pudding mix would also work for this recipe.
- Whole milk – While you could use low-fat milk, this will make the vanilla pudding layer less creamy and flavorful.
PRO TIP: Check that the type of sprinkles you have don’t easily bleed. Some sprinkles have their color painted on which is indicated on the packaging and those types do tend to bleed even if folded gently into the cheesecake filling.
How to Make Birthday Cake Cheesecake Bars
PREP: Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly before adding it to the vanilla cookies which must be crushed in a food processor for a fine consistency. Extra butter is required to grease the 8×8-inch glass dish.
COOKIE CRUST:
Step 1: Crush golden Oreos (or vanilla sandwich cookies) in a food processor until fine crumbs are formed. Add the melted butter and pulse a few more times to combine the butter and cookie crumbs.
Step 2: Add the crushed cookie mixture to the greased glass dish and press down with a spatula or clean fingers so that the base is even and covers the entire bottom of the glass dish. Add the glass dish to the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
CHEESECAKE FILLING:
Step 3: Using a standing mixer or hand beater, beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and whipped topping until it has a smooth and creamy consistency.
Step 4: You can then gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles.
VANILLA PUDDING LAYER:
Step 5: Spread the cheesecake layer over the chilled cookie base. Place the dessert back into the freezer to chill while preparing the next layer.
Step 6: While the dessert is in the freezer, combine the ingredients to make the vanilla pudding layer.
Step 7: Spread the pudding mixture over the set cheesecake filling and chill the dessert in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the pudding has set.
Step 8: Once the dessert has chilled and set, top it with any extra whipped topping and add additional rainbow sprinkles. Chill this birthday cake cheesecake bars dessert in the fridge until ready to serve.
GARNISH:
- When first making this cake, my one concern was whether the sprinkles would bleed when mixed with the cream cheese mixture but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they didn’t! Regardless, it’s always best to check the sprinkles you purchase for possible bleeding before stirring them into the mixture. Some of the nonpareil type sprinkles have the color “painted” on as listed on the packaging and this is a good indication that those particular sprinkles will bleed. “Jimmies” are typically safe to mix in without bleeding, while most nonpareils will bleed.
- You can also add some vanilla cookie crumbles to the top of your cake in addition to the sprinkles.
- I used vanilla Oreo cookies for this cake but you could use other brands of vanilla sandwich cookies too if you like.
- Whenever making cheesecake filling, it’s best for the cream cheese to first soften at room temperature before combining it with other ingredients as this will ensure a smooth and creamy consistency without any lumps in the dessert.
Fun Fact
Back in 1989, Pillsbury introduced its vanilla cake mix with multicolored sprinkles called “Funfetti” and ever since then, it’s been a well-known birthday party staple for kids around the globe with various homemade modifications introduced.
My Birthday Cake Cheesecake Bars recipe takes inspiration from the classic funfetti cake and marries it with a delicious layered no-bake ingredients such as a cheesecake filling, vanilla pudding mix, and whipped topping!
It’s not just fun to look at, it’s super delicious and puts a smile on any little face that gets a slice.
Variations
- Instead of using vanilla pudding mix (or white chocolate pudding), use a chocolate pudding mix or another flavored pudding mix of your choice.
- Chocolate Oreos can be used instead of the vanilla variety for the cake’s crushed cookie base.
- Use different tones of one color for your sprinkles if you are making this cake for a specific theme i.e. blues or pinks for baby shower gender reveals.
This birthday cake can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days but shouldn’t be left at room temperature for an extended period of time due to the cream cheese and whipped topping.
Yes! You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months which is great if you have leftovers or if you are making it ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer and then allow it to defrost in the refrigerator prior to serving.
More Scrumptious Cake Recipes To Try!
Birthday Cake Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 14.3 ounce vanilla sandwich cookies (approximately 36 cookies, 2 ½ cups when crushed)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted and cooled (plus more for greasing dish)
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounce frozen whipped topping Cool Whip, defrosted and divided
- ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles plus more for garnish
- 6.8 ounce vanilla flavored instant pudding mix 2 x 3.4-ounce packages. White chocolate pudding can also be used.
- 2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- Butter an 8×8 glass baking dish and set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, crush vanilla sandwich cookies until small even crumbs form. Add melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Press cookie/butter mixture into the greased baking dish and place in freezer for 10 minutes to chill while preparing the next layer.
- With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 cup of frozen whipped topping until smooth and creamy (about 5 minutes.) Add in sprinkles and stir just until combined.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over the chilled cookie crumb layer and place back into freezer for another 10 minutes.
- With a whisk or beater, combine both packages of pudding mix, milk, and 1 cup of frozen whipped topping. Whisk until combined and mixture begins to thicken.
- Spread pudding layer over the chilled cream cheese layer and chill for 30 minutes or until pudding is set.
- Gently top whipped topping, creating swoops with the back of a spoon or spatula (you may have leftover whipped topping). Top with more sprinkles. Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition
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