Birthday Cake Popcorn (Ready in 15 Minute!)
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This birthday cake popcorn is freshly popped popcorn mixed with melted marshmallows, vanilla cake batter, and topped with sprinkles. You can eat it from the bowl or roll it into balls for a fun and festive birthday treat. It’s easy to make with just 5 ingredients, and it’s ready in 15 minutes!
This birthday cake popcorn is my favorite fun, festive alternative to a classic birthday cake. It’s sweet, crunchy, and somehow really does taste like cake batter, all while being incredibly easy to make. I’ll serve it in a big bowl for sharing or roll it into balls for a playful handheld treat—either way, sticky fingers are guaranteed, and that’s part of the charm.
I start with plain, freshly popped popcorn (nothing buttery or salty here) and coat it in a gooey mixture of melted marshmallows, vanilla cake mix, milk, and vanilla extract. The marshmallows make everything sticky and cohesive, the cake mix brings that unmistakable birthday flavor, and the vanilla rounds it all out. A generous shower of sprinkles finishes it off, making it feel instantly celebratory.
It’s a hit with kids, but adults love it just as much. I make it for birthdays, of course, but I think this would be the perfect dessert for baby showers, wedding showers, movie nights, and any celebration that could use something sweet, colorful, and a little nostalgic.
For more delicious birthday treats, try my birthday cake ice cream!
Birthday cake popcorn variations
You can enjoy this birthday popcorn as-is or try one of these fun and delicious add-ins:
- Add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to the marshmallow mixture for a little nutty flavor.
- Toss in a couple handfuls of salted peanuts for a salty peanut crunch!
- Once the mixture has cooled, sprinkle on some mini white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
Can I melt the marshmallows in the microwave? Yes, you can. Microwave them in a microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes.
Can I make it ahead of time? This birthday cake popcorn is best enjoyed soon after it’s made. We like it best the day it’s made, but it’s still tasty after a day or two. Longer than that, the popcorn will lose its crunch.
How do I store it? Store the popcorn in a covered container at room temperature for up to two days.
Birthday Cake Popcorn (Ready in 15 Minute!)
Ingredients
- 6 cups popped popcorn
- ½ bag marshmallows
- ¾ cup vanilla cake mix
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- Optional: sprinkles
Instructions
- Place popped popcorn in a large bowl and remove any un-popped kernels.6 cups popped popcorn
- Place marshmallows in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until marshmallows have melted. Add cake mix and stir till well combined. Stir in the vanilla then stir in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it is a pouring (but not runny) consistency.½ bag marshmallows, ¾ cup vanilla cake mix, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2-4 tablespoons milk
- Pour melted marshmallows over popcorn and stir to combine. If using, top with sprinkles.Optional: sprinkles
Popcorn Balls
- To make these into popcorn balls, wet your hands lightly then scoop up a small amount of popcorn. Gently form into the shape of a ball. Re-wet hands between each popcorn ball to prevent the popcorn from sticking to your hands.
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More popcorn recipes
For more sweet treats, check out all of our dessert recipes!
Sounds good.
Do you think this would work with other flavors of cake mix?
I think it would!
Hello, is there a drying time after you mix the popcorn with the mixed marshmallows? I’m planning on making some for my daughters team today but I need to time it right. Thanks! 🙂
Nope! You’ll be able to eat them right away or save them for later. 🙂
This sounds very yummy. Have you ever tried using rice chex instead of popcorn? With all of the their great recipes for the puppy chow variations this may be good too???
I’ve never tried Rice Chex before but I would definitely give it a shot. I bet it would be tasty 🙂
Hi Kristen,
I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest. Looks yummy. Do you think you could make it with Puffcorn as well, or just popcorn? Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer,
I’m not sure what Puffcorn is! Is it similar to popcorn?
If you try it with Puffcorn let me know how it turns out 🙂
Do I/we use microwaved seasoned buttered popcorn or make fresh popcorn kernals in a paperbag with no extra seasonings?
Hi Kathy,
I popped the popcorn on the stovetop for this recipe since I don’t have a microwave. I’m pretty sure that plain microwavable popcorn would work too though 🙂
Such pretty popcorn! I love new ways to eat old favorites!
Love this! Thinking of making it for my daughter’s bday party. How far ahead do you think I could make this?
Hi Elizabeth,
You can definitely make this a day or two before her birthday.
Hope her birthday party is a ton of fun!!
Perfect, thank you!
Hi there! This popcorn looks amazing! I’m wanting to make it but I’m wondering what size your bag of marshmallows is…or how many cups of marshmallows are needed? Do you use mini marshmallows or regular?
Hi Wanda,
I used regular marshmallows, but mini ones would work too. I’m not sure how big the bag I used was but I’ve only ever seen one size of bag. Do marshmallows come in different sized bags where you live?
I’ll have a look at the marshmallows next time I’m at the grocery store and let you know k!
If I had to guess I would say roughly 5-6 cups ?
Does the cake mix fully cook in the marshmellow mixtue? We are thinking of doing this for our son’s 5ht birthday?
Hi Apurva,
The cake mix is really just for flavouring. Just add the dry cake mix and follow the recipe. Since you’re not adding any of the other cake ingredients it does not need to cook. Hope this makes sense now!
Happy birthday to your son!!
Do you make cake batter or use just straight cake mix?
Hi Hannah,
Just use the dry cake batter And thank you for asking for clarification. I’ll put that in the recipe now so that it is clear to everyone!
Hello! I found your recipe somewhere on notcot and it looks so cute and easy to make. I was wondering: Your recipe calls for “2-4 teaspoons milk” but then you have say to add milk by “tablespoon”. What’s the proper measurement?
Hey Kellie,
Clearly I had eaten too much birthday cake popcorn when I was writing this recipe The correct measurement is 2-4 tablespoons. Going to change that now!
This is too cute! I love this idea. And happy blogaversary! My 4th is coming up next week! Time sure does go by quickly 🙂
It’s crazy how quickly time flies by. Happy early blogaversary to you too!!
These look WILD!!! And so easy to make! Can’t wait to try this!! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
No problem at all, Jeni! I hope you love it as much as I did 🙂
What a great idea! I think I will try this one for my daughter’s next birthday.
When I was taking the photos all I could think was that this would be perfect for a little girl’s birthday. Hope she loves it!
This looks sooooo yummy…..Happy Birthday to you! I want to make this right now — down to the store to buy a cake ox
Thank you so much!
This looks yummy and so cute! Am I just totally blind or is the cake mix missing from the recipe? Do you add it in with the melted marshmallows?
I’m a bit confused still. Does the cake mix get cooked while stirring in the marshmallows in the sauce pan or should i stir in the baked cake crumbs in to the marshmallows.
please let me know I’m planning to make this for this sunday jan 14th 2013
Hi Reena,
Oh no, don’t bake the cake! Just stir in the powder with the marshmallows ?