Perfectly fluffy sheet pan birthday cake pancakes are loaded with sprinkles and a blend of flavors that make them taste just like classic confetti cake. Baking them right in a sheet pan means you get 24 pancakes all at once so you can join in the fun, too! The pancakes are made from scratch and are destined to be your new favorite treat for birthday mornings or any time you need sprinkles to brighten your day.
This recipe will help you make family traditions and special birthday memories for years to come! These pancakes are perfect for birthday sleepover breakfasts and are easy enough to throw together on weekday mornings. Top them with maple syrup, whipped cream, strawberry syrup, butter, and even more sprinkles for a little something special. Or, try this Brown Sugar Butter for a special topping!
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- All-Purpose Flour - This pantry staple is perfect for fluffy pancakes with enough heft to hold all of those sprinkles..
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda - We need bubbles to give our pancakes lift and a combination of both baking powder and baking soda works with the acidity in the Greek yogurt.
- Sugar - There's just a touch of sweetness in the pancake batter, perfect for sweetening with your favorite syrup.
- Vegetable Oil - Using oil instead of butter yields a moist pancake that won't dry out with baking. Any neutral oil will do here: canola, corn, avocado, or vegetable.
- Eggs - I always use large eggs in my recipe development.
- Greek Yogurt - We are much more likely to have Greek yogurt on hand than buttermilk, so this is my go-to ingredient to add a subtle tang and rich dairy to the pancake batter. Use either whole milk or 2% milk yogurt.
- Milk - Use whole milk, 2% milk, or skim milk for this recipe. If you make the recipe with a plant-based milk, please let us know how it turns out in the comments!
- Extracts - A combination of butter extract, almond extract, and vanilla extract is the key to getting the classic birthday cake flavor in these sheet pan pancakes. I can find all of these at our local supermarket.
- Jimmies Sprinkles - Jimmies are a bit waxy and rod-shaped, different from nonpareils. Because of their waxy texture, their color won't bleed into the batter when you mix them in. You can buy them in all sorts of color combinations!
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a half sheet pan (13" x 18") with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.
Combine the sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt, milk, and extracts in a medium bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients until completely smooth.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Mix the batter with a whisk until there are no visible streaks of flour, but take care not to over-mix. A few lumps are fine.
Add the sprinkles to the batter. Fold them in with a silicone spatula to evenly distribute them.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan with the silicone spatula or an offset spatula.
Bake the pancakes for 14-17 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is no longer shiny.
Slice the pancakes into 24 even pieces and serve immediately.
Baking Tip for Half Sheet Pans
The type of pan you use to bake the birthday cake pancakes will influence how they turn out. My half sheet pans are well-used and have a dark patina, which promotes more golden color on the edges. A brand new shiny aluminum sheet pan will not yield as much browning. Generally speaking, the darker the material you are baking on, the more browning you will get with your baked goods.
Equipment
A half sheet pan is the most important thing to have on hand for these sheet pan birthday cake pancakes (naturally), but here are some notes on other kitchen basics that make prep a breeze:
- Sheet Pans - A half sheet pan measures 13" x 18" and is a workhorse in the kitchen, perfect for sheet pan dinners, baking sheet pan pancakes, and cookies.
- Offset Spatula - Offset spatulas have an L-shaped bend near the handle that allow you to smooth frostings, fillings, and batters completely flat without running your fingers through things accidentally.
- Whisk - I have what may be an excessive number of whisks to choose from, but different sizes are so handy! A whisk does a great job of blending the wet and dry ingredients together without over-mixing the pancake batter.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these birthday cake pancakes with any of your favorite pancake toppings. Maple syrup, strawberry or blueberry syrup, whipped cream, butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, fresh fruit, or peanut butter are all tasty options. Don't forget a candle!
Storage
Store any leftovers stacked in an airtight container or zip-topped bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the pancake squares between layers of waxed paper in a large zip-topped bag for easy leftover breakfasts. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or the toaster oven. The toaster option is our favorite for crisp edges and fluffy interiors.
Make-Ahead Options
For a special birthday breakfast, take a few minutes to prep the night before! Add the wet ingredients to a jar and mix them well. Store the sealed jar in the refrigerator. Measure out your dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and loosely cover it with a kitchen towel on the countertop overnight. In the morning, combine the wet ingredients with the dry and continue in with the recipe as written. You can celebrate any day with a bit of make-ahead magic!
FAQ
Use only the rod-shaped "jimmies" for this recipe to get the best results. These sprinkles are waxy and won't bleed their color into your batter before it bakes. Avoid nonpareils; your batter will be a murky gray color by the time you spread it into the sheet pan.
Birthday cake flavor is a combination of butter, almond, and vanilla extracts that yield a rich and fragrant flavor and aroma, just like your favorite white cake.
Our favorite method of reheating sheet pan pancakes is in the toaster or toaster oven. You'll get a fluffy interior with a light toasted exterior, perfect for soaking up a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup.
More Pancakes
Pancakes are great for breakfast, but don't miss out on a breakfast-for-dinner opportunity! Here are some recipes to shake up your pancake routine:
Colorful Treats
Sprinkles make these birthday cake pancakes extra festive, but there are lots of recipes with vibrant colors to tempt you with your eyes before your tastebuds get in on the action. Try any of these colorful treats next:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Sheet Pan Birthday Cake Pancakes recipe and enjoy it as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Recipe
Sheet Pan Birthday Cake Pancakes
Equipment
- half sheet pan (13" x 18")
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups 2% milk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon butter extract
- ⅓ cup sprinkles (jimmies, plus additional for serving)
- whipped cream, butter, or syrup (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt, milk, and extracts with a whish until the wet ingredients are very smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry in the large bowl and mix with the whisk until no flour streaks are present. Try not to over-mix the batter.
- Add the sprinkles to the batter and fold them in to distribute them evenly.
- Spread the batter out over the prepared pan in an even layer.
- Bake the pancakes for 14-17 minutes, until the cake is no longer shiny in the center and the edges are lightly golden.
- Slice into 24 even pieces right in the pan and serve with optional whipped cream, syrup, sprinkles, or butter.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie Waltman says
We love to have these for every birthday breakfast in the family!