Cake Batter Milkshakes {3 Ingredient Recipe}

Published July 9, 2013. Updated April 23, 2019

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This Birthday Cake Milkshake Recipe uses just three ingredients and comes together in under 5 minutes. This is the best homemade milkshake I’ve ever made! 

birthday cake milkshake garnished with sprinkles and a straw

Easy Homemade Milkshake Recipe

Have you tried a cake batter milkshake or cake batter ice cream yet? When we were at the ice cream shop over the holiday, my younger brother kept talking up this cake batter ice cream they had and told me I had to try it.

I did try it, and I’m so glad I did because it was amazing! It tasted just like vanilla ice cream with a white cake mix blended in.

I rarely get out the cake mix since I’m all about making things from scratch. But these homemade milkshakes wouldn’t be the same with a homemade cake mix.

They’d just be missing that flavor we all love, the flavor that reminds us of those batter-covered beaters we’d get to lick when we’d help Mom make a cake when we were kids.

The first time I made these vanilla milkshakes, I tried to make them healthier by using Greek yogurt. While it was fairly good, I couldn’t get my daughter to eat it (she said she just didn’t like them). Sometimes things are just meant to be a little more indulgent!

Hopefully you get around to making these milkshakes soon because they are so easy and so delicious, and your whole family will love them.  So forget root beer floats the next time you are looking for a refreshing, ice cold and quick dessert and make these instead!

Birthday Cake Milkshake Ingredients

For this easy milkshake recipe, you’ll need:

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Milk
  • Vanilla or funfetti dry cake mix
  • Sprinkles (optional)

birthday cake milkshake in glass rimmed with sprinkles

How to Make a Homemade Milkshake

  • Add all ingredients except the sprinkles in a blender.
  • Blend until the milkshake is your desired consistency.

Can I Use a Different Cake Mix for This Recipe?

I don’t see why not! You won’t wind up with a birthday cake milkshake, but I’m sure your milkshake would still taste delicious.

Can I Make This Milkshake Dairy-Free?

I haven’t tried it myself, but I’m sure you could use a dairy-free ice cream and non-dairy milk in this milkshake recipe. And I’m fairly certain most cake mixes don’t contain dairy, but check the ingredients label on your boxed cake mix to be safe.

Tips for the Best Milkshakes

  • For a thicker milkshake, use slightly less milk than the recipe calls for.
  • You can use half-and-half or cream in place of part (or all) of the milk.
  • If you want to decorate your milkshake glasses, brush a little corn syrup around the rim then roll the glass in sprinkles.

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5 from 2 votes

Birthday Cake Milkshakes

This Birthday Cake Milkshake Recipe uses just three ingredients and comes together in under 5 minutes. This is the best homemade milkshake I've ever made! 
Servings: 2
Prep5 minutes
Ready in: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vanilla ice cream
  • 1 cup milk*
  • 1/2 cup vanilla or funfetti dry cake mix (from a boxed cake mix, I used Betty Crocker white), heat treat to kill potentially harmful bacteria
  • Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender except sprinkles.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Fold in sprinkles if desired.
  • Pour into cups and serve immediately, garnished with more sprinkles if desired.

Notes

  • *You can replace some of this with half and half or cream, just depending on how thick and rich you want it.
  • Note: I used light corn syrup to stick sprinkles to rim of cup (just a very thin layer). I poured the sprinkles in a container lid and rolled the corn syrup coated rim in sprinkles.
Nutrition Facts
Birthday Cake Milkshakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 552 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 571mg25%
Potassium 465mg13%
Carbohydrates 85g28%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 59g66%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 676IU14%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 440mg44%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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54 Comments

  • B

    Heat what and when? I assume cake mix! How? In microwave , for how long. Giving this easy recipe to a child could cause a problem. Please be more precise in instructions!!! VERY IMPORTANT!!!
    Thank you!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Recipe was created before there was a problem with contaminated flour in the US unfortunately. I would try heating on a baking sheet in 250 degree oven until it’s heated to 165.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Recipe was made before e-coli was a potential issue with raw flour, now it’s recommended that it is heated to 165 degrees to kill of any possible bacteria. This can be done in a 300 degree oven on a small baking sheet.

  • Chrissy

    When you made this did you heat treat the cake mix? Can you use cake mix and not heat treat it? Thank you

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I didn’t because back at that time there weren’t e.coli scares with flour.

  • Arlene G

    Hi, Sounds yummy, but I don’t understand why it says to heat treat to prevent bacteria & how do I do that? If I use a plain vanilla or chocolate mix do I have to heat anything? Thank you. Arlene

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Some have mentioned that heat treating actually isn’t working for them with cake mix so it would probably be better to switch to something like the edible cookie dough mix like the funfetti kind that comes with heat treated flour.

  • John Ransom

    adding the funfetti made it absolutely inedible for me. I heat treated funfetti mix and it smelled awful, and when i added it in and tried the milkshake it had a very very bitter after taste. I would recommend making a cooked funfetti cake (instead of just adding funfetti cake mix) and putting it in a food processor then blending it into the blender because it didnt taste good.

    • sierra h

      dude i agree 100%. thought it was just me because heat treating cake mix tastes so awful. i think itd be better to bake funfetti or yellow cake and then blend it in