Birthday Cake Shot

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This birthday cake shot is a fun and delicious way to celebrate someone’s special day. Rimmed with frosting and sprinkles, this creamy birthday shot is one everyone will love.

This vodka-based drink definitely lives up to its name. It’s equal parts festive and sweet, and it really does remind me of a (boozy) birthday cake!

shot glass rimmed with sprinkles filled with a birthday cake flavored shot.

This past weekend I celebrated my birthday. I planned a low-key day which was just what I needed. Although I love any excuse to celebrate, this year, I wanted to simply relax, watch movies, and play it cool. And that’s exactly what I did.

However, I also realized that this special day was an excellent opportunity to celebrate life and all the good things in it, which is why I crafted this birthday cake shot! You might remember my birthday cake martini. This is a similar recipe but in shot form.

shot glass rimmed with sprinkles filled with a birthday cake flavored shot.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Firstly, it tastes like birthday cake, which happens to be one of my favorite foods.
  • This drink only has a few ingredients to prepare. While you may need to grab a few goodies from the liquor store, the ingredient list is fairly minimal.
  • This shot is super easy to make. I’ll show you how to make it step by step below, but I promise it’s very easy.
  • It’s just fun! It’s wonderfully festive for a birthday, of course, but don’t feel like you have to wait until a special day rolls around. This can be made for any celebration!

Speaking of birthdays, if you’re hosting one, consider adding my birthday cake cheese ball, and/or Funfetti pancakes to your menu!

shot glass rimmed with sprinkles filled with a birthday cake flavored shot.

Ingredients

Remember when I said the list was fairly simple? Here are the 5 items you’ll need to whip up this liquid cake:

  • White chocolate liqueur – This adds the perfect amount of creaminess to the cocktail. I prefer Godiva’s brand, but I know many people have been happy with Mozart too.
  • Whipped vodka – Whipped vodka is the perfect ingredient when you want a whipped cream or icing flavor in your cocktail. While some will use it interchangeably with vanilla vodka, it’s not the same! Whipped vodka is much better, in my opinion. (If you’ve made my Jingle Juice Punch recipe, you’ll know what I mean.) I buy the Pinnacle brand, but again, choose what suits you.
  • Frangelico – I also like the addition of Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur, because it has a toasty/baked-cake flavor.
  • Frosting – This is not just for looks but also adds to the general birthday cake flavor. You can use store-bought or whip up a batch of cream cheese frosting. If you are already making a birthday cake, just set some aside for the shots too.
  • Sprinkles – I prefer these softer style sprinkles in rainbow colors. But you can also stick with a particular color scheme if that works best for your event.
close up of shot glass rimmed with sprinkles filled with a birthday cake flavored shot.

How To Make

This birthday cake shot may look super fancy, but don’t be fooled. This recipe is very easy to make. The most challenging part might be pouring the liquid into the shot glass! 😉

Here’s how to make this boozy cake drink step by step:

  1. Start by rimming your shot glasses in frosting. I found that the easiest way to do this is to make a mound of frosting in a plate or bowl a bit bigger than your shot glass. Then, simply dip your glass in.
  2. To keep the icing rim as straight as possible, hold the glass from the bottom and push gently into the frosting at a perpendicular angle. Give the glass a bit of a rotation to make sure the rim is completely coated.
hand dipping a shot glass into frosting.
  1. Next, dip the frosted rim into sprinkles. Rather than try to sprinkle the sprinkles on out of the shaker, it’s much easier to pour a little pile into a bowl, then dip your frosted rim in.
  2. Give the shot glass a gentle shake to release any loose sprinkles back onto the plate.
adding sprinkles to the rim of a shot glass.
  1. Then, in a cocktail shaker with ice, add equal parts white chocolate liqueur and whipped vodka, along with a splash of Frangelico. Even though you are going to be adding them to a shaker with ice, this recipe tastes best when the liquors are already chilled.
hand with cocktail shaker pouring a shot into a glass with sprinkles.
  1. Finally, pour the contents of the cocktail shaker into your prepared glasses, being careful not to hit the rim.

Enjoy your hard work and raise them in a toast to the birthday girl or boy!

shot glass rimmed with sprinkles filled with a birthday cake flavored shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve been making these shots for years, so I consider myself an expert. Here are the answers to all your burning questions about this delicious shot.

Is whipped vodka the same as cake vodka?

They are similar, but different. Whipped vodka really tastes like alcoholic whipped cream in liquid form. Cake vodka tastes more like a cake and has vanilla undertones with a hint of creamy flavor.

While you could use either for this recipe, I prefer the whipped vodka’s flavor as I find the vanilla notes in the cake vodka a bit overpowering at times.

How can I reduce the alcohol in this drink?

The alcohol content in this drink isn’t super high, especially when enjoyed in a small shot. That being said, if you want to make these less boozy, I recommend doing a 1:1 ratio of the mixed cocktail with half and half.

Does a birthday cake shot have dairy in it?

I took a deep dive into trying to find the answer to this, and it was surprisingly challenging. But it appears that this recipe is not dairy free because white chocolate liqueur contains dairy.

Whipped cream vodka and Frangelico are both dairy-free, so if you did want to make this recipe without dairy, you could ask the liquor store for a vegan-friendly alternative for white chocolate liqueur. If anyone finds one they like, please leave it in the comments below so I can give it a try!

Of course, you’d also need to swap out typical buttercream frosting on the rim for a dairy-free version too.

Can I make a birthday cake shot ahead of time?

You can make the components for this shot ahead of time, but I wouldn’t put it all together until you are ready to serve.

For example, you can go ahead and rim the shot glasses with frosting and sprinkles and then stick them on a tray in the fridge. Then, mix your liquors up in your shaker, but omit the ice, so it doesn’t get watery. Stick the entire shaker in the fridge, and it’s ready to go.

Pull the shot glasses out about 30-60 minutes ahead of time so the icing can come to room temp. Just before you are ready to serve, grab your shaker and add a couple of ice cubes. Then, give it a vigorous shake, and pour it into the shot glasses.

This recipe is a tasty and celebratory way to honor anyone’s special day. Remember to enjoy responsibly and have fun. Cheers!

shot glass rimmed with sprinkles filled with a birthday cake flavored shot.

More Shot Recipes You May Like

Ready to give this birthday cake shot a try? I hope you enjoy it! If you do, please leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. 

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my processes. There’s even more inspiration on Facebook and Pinterest!

This Birthday Cake Shot recipe is a tasty and fun birthday cocktail idea. #cocktail #recipe #shot #birthday #birthdaycake

Birthday Cake Shot

This birthday cake shot is a fun and delicious way to celebrate someone's special day. Rimmed with frosting and sprinkles, this creamy birthday shot is one everyone will love.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cocktail, shot, birthday, birthday cake
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 2 shots
Calories: 122kcal

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces white chocolate liqueur
  • 1.5 ounces whipped vodka
  • .5 ounce Frangelico
  • Cake frosting and sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

  • Begin by rimming your shot glasses with frosting; then dip them into the sprinkles to coat. Set aside.
  • In a cocktail shaker with ice, add the white chocolate liqueur, whipped vodka, and Frangelico. Shake vigorously.
  • Strain into the prepared shot glasses and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 10g

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Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. So I think there’s some confusion, this is the recipe for a birthday cake shot.

    3/4 oz Vodka
    3/4 oz Frangelico Liqueur
    Fresh Lemon Wedge
    Tsp. Sugar

    I guess maybe no one googled anything before creating the SEO’d link trap of a webpage. That drink looks more like a milkshake anyway. 😘

    1. Winnie the Poop,
      Yes. That is ONE way to make a birthday cake shot. This is MY way to make a birthday cake shot. This is what looks and tastes like a birthday cake shot to me. There is zero intent to mislead or “trap” anyone. The image is clear that this is a cream-based birthday cake shot.

      “6+3=9 but so does 5+4. The way you do things isn’t always the only way to do them. Respect other people’s way of thinking.”

      xo Michael

  2. To be honest, the best birthday drink I’ve ever seen and it’s a pity I did not drink it: D I’d love to try your specialty. It looks great, in a typical birthday style.