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I made these birthday cake shots to celebrate with something sweet, fun, and festive! They taste like whipped vanilla and look like a party with that colorful sprinkle rim. It’s the perfect little cocktail for any adult birthday party or celebration!
Looking for more shot recipes? Try my Jolly Rancher Shot, Green Tea Shots, Lemon Drop Shots and Gummy Bear Shots!

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Pin ItWhy You’ll Love These Birthday Cake Shots
- Inspired by my Funfetti Cake Recipe and Classic Birthday Cake Recipe, I created these Birthday Cake Shots for something festive and fun to celebrate!
- These shots taste just like birthday cake! They’re rich vanilla flavor with a hint of sweetness.
- Like most of my shot recipes these are easy to make with just five ingredients!
Birthday Cake Shot Ingredients
Whipped Vodka: This has the most delicious whipped vanilla flavor. You can also use Pinnacle Cake Vodka, cream vodka, or vanilla-flavored vodka.
White Chocolate Liqueur: Adds a nice sweetness and helps make these birthday shots creamy. You can use any white chocolate liqueur you prefer, or you can use white chocolate Irish Cream, as I did.
Vanilla Extract: I add this to give the shots an even more robust vanilla birthday cake flavor. This makes these shots the real deal!
Vanilla Frosting: This is used to rim the shot glasses before adding the sprinkles. It will hold the sprinkles to the glass, giving them a fun and festive birthday party look. This also adds to the white cake mix flavor of the shots.
Sprinkles: Use any sprinkles for this recipe, but we recommend using colorful sprinkles for fun!
How to Make Birthday Shots
- Spread vanilla frosting around the rim of each shot glass.
- Dip the rims into colorful sprinkles to coat.
- Combine 1 ounce whipped vodka, 1 ounce white chocolate liqueur, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake until chilled.
- Strain the mix into the prepared shot glasses.
Tips & Variations
Batch It: Double or triple the recipe for larger gatherings.
Chill Your Ingredients: Cold ingredients make the shots taste better and feel refreshing.
Make Ahead: You can mix the ingredients in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rim glasses and garnish just before serving.
Chocolate Cake Shot: Swap white chocolate liqueur with chocolate liqueur or Frangelico for a nutty flavor.
Fruity Twist: Add a splash of raspberry or strawberry liqueur for a berry-flavored version. (Or if you love citrus, you’ll want to save this lemon drop martini for another day!)
Birthday Cake Martini: Strain into a martini glass and garnish with sprinkles.
Birthday Cake Shots FAQ’s
They are very similar in flavor. Whipped vodka is a creamy and sweet vodka, while cake vodka is a type of vanilla-flavored vodka. Both are perfect for making birthday shots!
Yes, you can make the birthday shots ahead of time. Combine the ingredients and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rim the glasses and top with whipped cream and sprinkles just before serving.
You can use honey or corn syrup if you don’t have frosting. Coat the rims of the shot glasses with either of these liquids and then dip them into sprinkles.
Yes! Substitute the vodka and liqueur with vanilla syrup and white chocolate-flavored cream.
More Shot Recipes
These Birthday Cake Shots are always a hit! They’re fun, festive, and taste just like a sweet slice of cake—perfect for celebrating any adult birthday. If you give them a try, leave a comment and review so I know what you think!
Birthday Cake Shot
Ingredients
- 4 ounces whipped vodka, vanilla vodka or birthday cake vodka work too.
- 4 ounce white chocolate liqueur
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup vanilla frosting
- 1/2 cup sprinkles
Instructions
- Rim the shot glasses by dipping them in a shallow bowl of frosting.
- Immediately dip them into a shallow bowl of sprinkles.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the whipped vodka, white chocolate liqueur, vanilla extract, and ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10 seconds to combine.
- Fill the prepared glasses with the birthday cake shot mixture.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.