Funfetti Birthday Cake Pudding Shots

These colorful birthday cake pudding shots are delicious little cups of vodka-infused pudding. Topped with sprinkles, this cake-flavored birthday shot is a cool & creamy adults-only treat that's ideal for celebrating a milestone birthday (or ANY birthday 21+)...

Birthday Cake Pudding Shots

I could be way off, but I'm guessing you came here looking for birthday shot ideas. Which I also assume means you're probably getting ready to celebrate a birthday.

So... HAPPY BIRTHDAY -- let's celebrate!!

And what more perfect way to celebrate a milestone birthday (or ANY birthday 21+) than a birthday cake shot?! We're not talking just any old jello shot recipe, either...

Yep, I'm back with a NEW variety of PUDDING SHOTS for you all -- delicious birthday cake pudding shots!!!

This birthday shot recipe tastes JUST like a classic birthday cake, minus the vanilla frosting. AND these birthday shots are especially fun and festive. All thanks to a sprinkle of colorful funfetti rainbow nonpareils!

Yeah, yeah, I know I usually keep my pudding shots a little more basic. But birthdays are special occasions! And I say they call for something a little more FUN and lively... So funfetti pudding shots it is. Let's get to it!

Birthday Cake Shot Ingredients

You may have already noticed that my pudding shot recipes all follow a loose formula. Equal parts of a creamy liqueur, flavored vodka, and milk get mixed with Jell-O instant pudding. Then you fold in some Cool Whip whipped topping.

With this base recipe, I mix and match different flavors to come up with the best pudding shots for a given recipe idea. And sometimes I'll add an extra ingredient or two, as necessary.

And this birthday cake shot recipe is no exception!

You'll want to grab these ingredients for your next party:

• Baileys Almande almondmilk liqueur*
• Pinnacle cake vodka*
• 2 pkgs. of instant Jell-O vanilla pudding
• boxed yellow cake mix
• a 16-oz. container of Cool Whip
• milk (just in case you're out)
• funfetti rainbow nonpareils sprinkles
• 2-oz. plastic shot cups with lids (order your shot glasses online -- they're much cheaper!)

*Keep reading below for some substitution ideas.

A few nice-to-have items to consider are:

• a medium cookie scoop (ideal for portioning out your pudding shots)
• a spoonula spatula (my fave for folding ingredients together)

Birthday Shot Ingredient Substitutions

Some of the alcohol varieties I prefer for these birthday cake shots can be a bit difficult to track down. So I want to provide you with a few more options.

Like the Baileys Almande... Their website shows that it's not carried here in Ohio. But I found it sitting on the shelf at my local Meijer.

Skip the store locator and call ahead to see if your favorite grocery store carries it. It's definitely worth tracking down if you can!

Still can't find it? Your next best option is pairing the birthday cake vodka and white chocolate liqueur. Or yet another option is to use a cinnamon liqueur.

I recommend Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Chila 'Orchata, or RumChata in that order.

My reasoning? The white chocolate Godiva liqueur and Chila 'Orchata have a stronger vanilla flavor. This better complements the classic birthday cake flavor we're after.

RumChata is easier to find, but it has a more cinnamon-forward flavor. It's still VERY good in these cake shots, but it doesn't provide that spot-on birthday cake flavor.

BTW: if you love Rum Chata, you also need to try these RumChata shots STAT!!!

How To Make Birthday Cake Shots

One of the reasons I love these these birthday cake vodka pudding shots so much is that they're so EASY to make. This birthday cake pudding shots recipe can be ready to serve in a fraction of the time it takes to whip up an actual birthday cake!

Start by whisking together the 2 boxes of vanilla instant pudding mix and a half cup of the yellow cake mix. Then whisk in one cup Baileys Almande and one cup milk. Finally, stir in the cake vodka.

From here it's all about the folding... Fold in the Cool Whip into the jello mixture until well combined -- but don't overdo it. You want the birthday cake pudding shot mix to remain fluffy.

I like to use one of these spoonula spatulas for this purpose. It makes it easy to scrape the bottom and get every last bit mixed in. I'd say it's actually the most used spatula in my kitchen -- well worth the money!

Once combined, you're ready to divide the birthday jello shots mixture into cups. These little pudding shot cups come with lids and are the perfect size for each shot.

This is where that medium cookie scoop I mentioned earlier comes in. It's the simplest way to portion out pudding shots!

One big scoop, plus a little extra dab on top, is just enough to fill the cup while still leaving some room for expansion when we freeze the shots...

Best Way To Serve Birthday Cake Pudding Shots

Wait, can you freeze pudding shots? Yes, and it's actually my preferred way to serve them. But they also keep well in the refrigerator, and you can also serve them freshly made. It's all good!

If you want to top these birthday cake pudding shots with rainbow sprinkles, now is the time to add them. Sprinkle them on before placing the lids on the shots or right before serving. This way the colors don't bleed together...

I learned this the hard way the first time I made them! As soon as I stirred the sprinkles into the pudding shot mix, the colors all ran together throughout the mix.

Let's just say they were NOT the pretty funfetti shots I imagined. But they WERE still tasty!

Birthday Shots With Candles Frosting And Sprinkles

You don't really NEED to top these birthday shots with anything. Their cake shot flavor can stand alone, but a few colorful jimmies or nonpareils are a festive touch.

Or you can go full-on birthday mode with sprinkles, some Reddi-wip "frosting", AND candles on top!

A word of caution, though... Top with whipped cream ONLY if you're serving these birthday pudding shots immediately. Whipped cream starts to melt and break down very quickly. Of course they'll still TASTE great -- they just won't look as nice for very long.

Either way, they're sure to be a HUGE HIT with the birthday girl or birthday boy AND all your guests. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

I hope this yummy birthday cake shot recipe makes YOUR next birthday party extra memorable...

Below are a few FAQs that I'm often asked about these cake batter flavored shots. Don't see your question listed here? Leave a comment below and I will respond ASAP!

How long are pudding shots good for in the fridge?

Um, well, I've never exactly tested this -- because I've honestly never had leftovers, LOL. My estimate is that they'll keep well for about a week in the fridge and for up to 3 months in the freezer.

How long does it take pudding shots to set?

My pudding shots recipes use Cool Whip in the base, so they don't need any time to set up. Serve them immediately after mixing, after refrigerating, or after freezing.

Can you freeze pudding shots?

You can freeze pudding shots. In fact, it's my favorite way to serve them! And it makes it super easy to transport them to parties. Just throw them in a cooler filled with ice and you're good for the night.