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This Funfetti Cheesecake is a smooth and creamy cheesecake that’s packed with sprinkles – from the crust to the filling. With the classic birthday cake flavor (and colors), it’s a no-brainer for your next celebration!
So, I’ve had a Funfetti Cake and Funfetti Cupcakes on my site for a while now. I even have an No Bake Funfetti Cheesecake, but for some reason, I haven’t gotten around to giving you guys an epic baked version of my no-bake masterpiece. That ends today.
I have so very many cheesecake recipes on my site and I just love making (and eating) them. While some people find them hard to make, I really think that with the right recipe and a little time, anyone can make the perfect cheesecake. So if you want the best fool-proof funfetti cheesecake, you’ve come to the right place. The filling is basically my classic vanilla cheesecake, but with sprinkles, a little more flavor and a little thicker (I had to add more cream cheese to keep the sprinkles afloat!). The result? A celebratory cheesecake that’s about to be your new favorite.
What Makes Funfetti Cheesecake So Good?
Aside from the fact that this cheesecake is loaded with fun, colorful sprinkles, I am in love with this dessert for several reasons:
- Thick and creamy. The filling for this cheesecake is extra thick and creamy (I had to use more cream cheese than usual to keep the sprinkles from sinking). I honestly love it. It makes the dessert that much more decadent.
- Flavor surprise. I added a little cake batter flavoring to this cheesecake to get that proper birthday cake feel. It’s delicious! But you could also swap it out for almond flavor, which people commonly use to give desserts a “birthday flavor”.
- Festive fun. When colorful sprinkles are around, it’s hard to be in a bad mood. The bright colors are so fun and do a great job at evoking sweet, nostalgic childhood feels that’ll have you grinning ear to ear.
Ingredients and Notes
It’s not a huge list of things that you’ll need, but here are a few things to keep in mind about some of the ingredients. For exact measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Graham cracker crumbs – I like to grind my own crumbs these days. The ones that are ground up for you don’t have as much flavor. You could also use Nilla wafers instead if you prefer.
- Sprinkles – See notes below.
- Cream cheese – Be sure to use full fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best results. Reduced fat or tub-style cream cheese is usually thinner and doesn’t turn out quite the same.
- All-purpose flour – You could also use cornstarch in half the amount for a gluten free option.
- Sour cream – The sour cream breaks up the richness of the cream cheese a bit. If you would prefer to use something else, heavy cream could work, but the cheesecake will need a little longer to bake.
- Cake batter flavoring – This is optional to go with the vanilla flavor, but it really brings home that birthday cake feel for me. Alternatively, you could use a dash of almond extract.
- Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
- Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar in the whipped cream not only sweetens the whipped cream but also helps stabilize it so it won’t wilt – ever.
The Best Sprinkles To Use
I highly recommend a jimmie-style sprinkle. There are lots of color options, but do be sure the ingredients include cornstarch. Without cornstarch, they are probably going to bleed. This sprinkle mix is one of my faves.
You could also use candy quins. But they are bigger and tend to be crunchy, which I don’t really find ideal. Stay away from non-pareils, as they will definitely bleed.
How to Make Funfetti Cheesecake
Here’s a quick look at how to make this festive cheesecake. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 325°F, line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and grease the sides.
- Make the crust. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and cool.
- Bake. Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust, place the springform pan in a water bath, and bake for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes.
- Cool gradually. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool inside for 30 minutes. Crack the door and cool for 30 additional minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, remove it from the water bath, and finish cooling at room temperature.
- Chill. Chill the dessert in the fridge until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
- Set up. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and place on a serving dish.
- Decorate. Whip together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe the whipped cream around the outer edge of the cheesecake and top with sprinkles.
Tips for Success
- Room temperature ingredients. The cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs should all be at room temperature before you begin. If they are cold, they won’t combine as smoothly and easily.
- Mix low, slow, and not too much. When making the cheesecake batter, mix on low speed and only until the ingredients are incorporated. Over-mixing (or mixing at higher speeds) can introduce excess air into the batter, which can give you a cracked cheesecake.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. When adding and mixing ingredients into the batter, pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure everything makes it in and you don’t have pockets on ingredients that turn into lumps.
- Don’t skip the water bath. The water bath helps the cheesecake bake evenly. Plus, the steam it releases into the oven helps prevent cracks. So, don’t skip it. Check out my post on how to prepare a pan for a water bath to learn how it’s done. I really like using the silicon pan method detailed that same post.
- Cool gradually. First in the oven with the door closed, then in the oven with the door cracked, then on the counter*. This slow cooling process allows the cheesecake a little extra time to firm up and will help prevent cracks from forming on the top.
- No peaking. As your cheesecake bakes and cools in the oven, resist the temptation to open the door and check on its progress. Opening the oven lets the steam from the water bath out, disrupting the baking process and can lead to a sunken, cracked cheesecake.
- Patience. Give the cheesecake a full 5-6 hours in the fridge. It needs this time to firm up. Otherwise, when you slice into it, it may be runny.
* Although not wholly necessary, allowing the cheesecake to cool completely before refrigerating it helps prevent condensation from forming on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this funfetti cheesecake gluten free?
Yes, just replace the flour with half the amount of cornstarch. You could also try an all-purpose gluten free flour.
Can I use something other than sour cream?
Sure! You can try plain greek yogurt or heavy cream. Just keep in mind that heavy cream may mean the cheesecake needs a few minutes longer to bake.
How can I tell when the cheesecake is done baking?
I like to use gloves and gently shake my cheesecake pan to get it to jiggle. You want the outer 2-3 inches of the cheesecake to look more set and less jiggly, and in the center to be the party that’s a bit jiggly. It should wobble a bit, but not too much. If it looks liquid-y still and has kind of a sloshy wiggle, it’s not done it. If it’s just set and still jiggly, it should be good to move on to the cooling process. Check out my post on how to tell when your cheesecake is done baking if you’d like a little more guidance.
How do you store cheesecake?
If you find yourself with leftovers, seal them in an airtight cake carrier. Otherwise, you can wrap the cake in a double layer of plastic wrap (I like using toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the whipped cream) or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. Store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze funfetti cheesecake?
To freeze the cheesecake, pop the whole thing in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. Then, wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. Alternatively, arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight, freezer-safe container. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the leftovers to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
More Funfetti Recipes
Looking for more funfetti-inspired recipes? I don’t blame you! Here are a few of my favorites:
Recipe
Funfetti Cheesecake
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooling Time: 5 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours
Yield: 12-14 slices
Category: Cheesecake
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Description
This Funfetti Cheesecake is a smooth and creamy cheesecake that’s packed with sprinkles – from the crust to the filling. With the classic birthday cake flavor (and colors), it’s a no-brainer for your next celebration!
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups (268g) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons (26g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons sprinkles
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 32 ounces (904g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (230g) sour cream
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoons cake batter flavoring, optional
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 6–7 tablespoons sprinkles
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Cover the outsides of the pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in (see how I prepare my pan for a water bath). Set prepared pan aside.
Assemble and Bake
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (148°C).
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour on low speed until well combined and smooth. Be sure to use low speed to reduce the amount of air added to the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. Stir in the sprinkles.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust.
- Place the springform pan inside another larger pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 20-25 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly (how to tell when your cheesecake is done baking).
- Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool as well.
- Crack the door of the oven for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and refrigerate until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
Finish it off
- Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and place on a serving dish.
- To make the whipped cream, add everything to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe the whipped cream around the outer edge of the cheesecake. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Cover and refrigerate cheesecake until ready to serve. Cheesecake is best if eaten within 4-5 days. More on how to store and freeze cheesecake.
Notes
A note on sprinkles – I highly recommend Jimmies for this recipe. They are less likely to bleed than nonpareils, and they aren’t as crunchy as some other shaped sprinkles. Just use ones that have cornstarch in them. Some jimmies do bleed and they usually are ones without cornstarch. I personally love these sprinkles.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 481
- Sugar: 28.5 g
- Sodium: 270.5 mg
- Fat: 38.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.2 g
- Protein: 7.7 g
- Cholesterol: 151.5 mg
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