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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: Old-Fashioned Birthday Cake Fudge tastes just like what you’d buy at the boardwalk candy shop! This sweet almond, vanilla-flavored fudge has the same iconic taste and texture as your beach-trip favorite.
As we find ourselves on the express train to Autumn, I’d like to remind you that just because you may not be able to bury your toes in the sand doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy classic, old-fashioned fudge. Specifically, I’m talking about the delicious taste of my homemade “Birthday Cake” fudge recipe.
My homemade fudge recipe has the exact same taste and texture as the fudge you’d find at any brightly-colored candy shop on the boardwalk. My vanilla-flavored fudge also has notes of sweet almond and is topped with festive sprinkles.
This delicious white fudge — or funfetti fudge thanks to those adorable sprinkles — is made with cooked sugar, almond and vanilla extract, butter, heavy whipping cream, and just a touch of lemon juice and salt, creating an irresistible, nostalgic treat.
What Is White Fudge Made From?
There are a few different recipes for white fudge, but this birthday cake fudge, which tastes just like your favorite Funfetti Cake Recipe, is made with butter and heavy whipping cream. The fudge’s flavor comes from vanilla extract, almond extract, and granulated sugar.
Tools You Need To Make Funfetti Fudge
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Candy thermometer
- 8-inch (20-cm) square pan
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Stand mixer with the paddle attachment or wooden spoon
How To Make Birthday Cake Fudge
All of the ingredients listed below in the recipe card are heated in a heavy-bottom saucepan until they come to a gentle boil for 10 minutes. Then, once it has cooled a bit off the heat, it is stirred for 15 to 20 minutes either by hand or in a stand mixer and chilled for at least 2 hours for the perfect texture.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Funfetti Fudge
- A candy thermometer is essential to make this fudge. There are too many precise temperatures to monitor without one.
- To prevent crystallization, which will result in a grainy fudge, make sure to clip the thermometer into the heating sugar mixture just after the sugar is dissolved. Don’t scrape the pan when pouring the heated mixture into the bowl to cool.
- Choose a dry, sunny day to make this recipe — humid or rainy weather can affect the texture.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can stir this mixture with a wooden spoon. It will take about 15-20 minutes of steady stirring.
- If you are using a stand mixer, keep the speed on the very lowest, or stir setting, and watch frequently. You don’t want to over-stir!
Want More Fudge Recipes? Give These A Try!
- Old Fashioned Salted Caramel Fudge
- Vanilla Bean Fudge (White Chocolate Fudge)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Fudge
- Candy Bar Fudge (Snickers)
- 3 Ingredient Microwave Fudge (Chocolate and Orange, Cookie Butter, and Praline)
Try These Recipes!
Old-Fashioned Birthday Cake Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (½ oz/ 14 g) butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups (24 oz/675 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (12 fl oz/360 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (20-cm) square pan with foil and butter the foil. Set aside.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, add the butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Set aside.
- In a medium, high-sided, heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, add the sugar, cream, lemon juice, and salt.
- Heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then clip a candy thermometer to the pan and stop stirring.
- Cook at a gentle boil without stirring (adjusting the heat as needed) until the temperature reaches 238°F (115°C), about 10 minutes.
- Immediately remove from the heat and pour the contents into the bowl with the butter and extracts. Don’t use a spoon, scrape out the pot, or stir the mixture in the bowl.
- Clip the thermometer into the bowl and let the mixture cool for about 1½ hours until it reaches 110°F (43°C).
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and stir on low for 15 to 20 minutes until the fudge loses its gloss and thickens.
- Scrape into the prepared pan, then smooth the top and press the sprinkles on top. Refrigerate until chilled (at least 2 hours) before cutting into squares. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
