Mini Funfetti Cheesecake Recipe

The best way to celebrate any happy occasion is with sprinkles! This Mini Funfetti Cheesecake recipe makes two mini birthday cheesecakes in springform pans. Made from scratch without cake mix.

I have a huge confession to make, one that makes me feel a little ashamed since I have a bake-from-scratch philosophy.

I love Funfetti cake mix. It has always been my favorite growing up.

Several times I tried to duplicate it from scratch, and either the sprinkles melted and turned my cake pink or that certain taste just wasn’t there.

It’s not a white cake. It’s not a yellow cake. It’s a Funfetti cake.

Does anybody else feel this way? Or am I just crazy?

I used to give in and buy a box to throw into recipes, but the problem was I’d only use a few tablespoons at a time. Unless I was making Funfetti recipes every week (I wasn’t), that box would sit in my pantry until it expired.

I was determined to figure out the flavors of Funfetti cake. After much research (both reading and eating), the prominent flavors are butter and vanilla.

I first made this Mini Funfetti Cheesecake recipe in 4 inch springform pans for a coworker’s birthday because she absolutely loves cheesecake. There’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than with confetti sprinkles.

I made birthday cheesecake for two so we wouldn’t have leftovers. Not that leftover cheesecake is a bad thing, but everyone was concerned about portion control.

Is Funfetti just vanilla with sprinkles?

Yes and no. Funfetti is vanilla cake with sprinkles, but there’s also extra butter flavor.

What is the flavor of Funfetti?

Mini Funfetti cheesecakes taste like vanilla, butter, and of course cream cheese.

One problem I noticed while researching homemade Funfetti recipes is they use butter extract. Butter extract is an ingredient I will never use in my life again unless I’m making Funfetti all the time.

The next best way to add butter flavor? Use real butter. Crazy I know.

Much like my small birthday cake, I added melted butter to the cheesecake batter for flavor.

Which sprinkles should I use for Funfetti cheesecake?

For the sprinkles, use regular sprinkles and not nonpareils (the itty bitty dots). They end up melting and bleeding together in the batter.

I love using confetti sprinkles to stay with the Funfetti theme, but as long as they aren’t tiny, any shape will work.

What pan do I need for a 4 inch cheesecake?

You will need a 4 inch springform pan for mini cheesecake. It’s important to use a mini springform pan because cheesecake is delicate, so you cannot invert it like you would with a cake.

Most of the time you can buy a set of three 4 inch springform pans. Because this recipe makes 2 mini cheesecakes, it’s handy to have more than one pan.

How many does a 4 inch cheesecake feed?

4 inch cheesecakes are quite tiny, so you can get about 1-2 servings out of each, depending on how much you want to eat.

Personally I say it’s 1 serving, but American portions are much larger than what they should be, so the official answer is probably 2 servings.

How to make mini funfetti cheesecakes from scratch?

Cheesecake is made up of a few easy ingredients:

1. Graham cracker crumbs: Graham cracker is the most traditional for the crust. I use a food processor to crush mine into crumbs.
2. Butter: Needed to bind the crust. For Funfetti cheesecake, you add melted butter to the batter for taste.
3. Cream cheese: It’s not cheesecake without cream cheese! Make sure you’re using full-fat cream cheese. The low fat and fat free versions have more water in them and may be too watery after baking.
4. Granulated sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to balance out the tanginess of the cream cheese
5. Eggs: As with all baking recipes, use large eggs.
6. Vanilla: Adds flavor to the batter
7. Sprinkles: It’s not birthday cheesecake without sprinkles!

First mix together the crumbs and butter then pat it into the bottom and up the sides of your springform pans to form a crust.

Next beat together the cream cheese and sugar until super smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Then beat in the egg, being careful not to overbeat the batter.

Finally, add the melted butter, vanilla, and sprinkles for flavor.

Transfer the batter to your crust and bake at 350F degrees for 25-28 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150F degrees.

Do I need a water bath for cheesecake?

No, you do not need a water bath for this mini Funfetti cheesecake recipe because they are small enough for the middle and top to bake evenly.

How to know when cheesecake is done baking

The best way to ensure cheesecake is done baking is with a digital thermometer. The internal temperature of a cheesecake should be 150F degrees.

Of course this’ll leave a hole in your cheesecake, but you can easily cover that up with whipped cream.

Because cheesecake is technically a custard, it will wiggle in the middle even after it’s done. If it doesn’t wiggle, you overbaked it.

The edges should be firm and brown. Only the direct middle will still slightly jiggle.

How do you make a cheesecake for one?

Although my recipe makes two 4 inch cheesecakes, you can still cut it in half to bake a cheesecake for one. Use 1 egg yolk for half an egg.

How long is cheesecake good for?

Cheesecake can last up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator. I have a feeling these mini birthday cheesecakes will gone before then.

Is it ok to leave cheesecake out overnight?

No, cheesecake must be refrigerated overnight because it is perishable with the cream cheese.

You can leave it out for a few hours while it cools down, but then you need to refrigerate it.

How do you decorate a mini Funfetti cheesecakes?

You can use extra sprinkles and small batch homemade whipped cream.

Why did my cheesecake crack?

Nothing is more frustrating than spending all that time making a cheesecake just to have it crack!

Here are several reasons why your cheesecake may have cracked:

• Overbeating the batter: We all love a smooth cheesecake but overbeating the batter incorporates too much air, which causes the cheesecake to puff higher than it should. As it cools, it continues to sink then crack.Solution: Only beat the batter for as long as it takes to mix everything together. You can try to beat some of the lumps out, but if it’s too lumpy, no amount of beating will fix that.
• Overbaking the cheesecake: I get it. You want to make sure your cheesecake is baked in the middle. However, overbaking will result in a dry top, which then results in cracks.Solution: Use a digital thermometer to determine the internal temperature reaches 150F.
• Cheesecake stuck to the pan: Sometimes the edge of the cheesecake will stick to the pan. Cheesecake naturally deflates when it cools. If it’s stuck to the pan, it’ll continue to deflate while the edges stay in place, resulting in tears and cracks.Solution: Immediately run a knife around the edge to make sure it’s not sticking to the pan.
• Opening the oven door too much: It’s ok to open the oven door when checking for doneness, but you don’t want to do it too early or too many times. Every time you open the door, heat escapes and lowers the oven temperature. Too much drastic change in temperature can cause cracking.Solution: Only open the oven door towards the end of baking when you’re checking for doneness.

Why is my cheesecake lumpy?

If your cheesecake batter is lumpy, chances are your cream cheese and eggs are too cold.

Make sure they sit out at room temperature until no longer cold to the touch. I let my ingredients sit out about 2 hours or so, but it’ll depend on how cold your kitchen is (think summer vs. winter).

If your cream cheese is still too cold, microwave (without the foil wrappers!) in 5-10 second increments until no longer cold to the touch. Be careful you don’t accidentally melt it!

To warm up eggs, place them in a warm bowl of water and let sit for about 15 minutes or until no longer cold to the touch.

If your batter is still lumpy, sometimes it’s the brand of cream cheese. Some brands have more stabilizers than others. The less stabilizers present, the smoother your cream cheese will be.

What to do if my cheesecake batter is lumpy

Unfortunately no amount of beating will smooth out the lumps. And the lumps certainly won’t melt while baking.

Sometimes you can use a blender to smooth out the lumps. This method may incorporate too much air, which could cause the cheesecake to crack. However, you can cover the cracks with a garnish.

Sometimes you can run the batter through a strainer. You may lose some of the batter in the process, but at least it’ll be smooth.

Can you freeze cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze cheesecake!

Maybe you only want to eat one cheesecake now then freeze the second for later. Or maybe you’re baking ahead of time due to your busy schedule.

Regardless of your reason, here is how you freeze my 4 inch cheesecake recipe. It’s best to freeze a plain cheesecake without any garnishes.

First, make sure it has 100% cooled completely. Cheesecakes take awhile to cool, so do not attempt to freeze it before then.

Next, remove it completely from the pan (bottom too!). Then place on a baking tray or plate and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

When firm, wrap in plastic wrap then either wrap in foil or place inside a freezer-proof plastic bag. Write the date on your cheesecake then freeze for up to 1 month.

How To Thaw Cheesecake

When ready to eat your frozen cheesecake, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then garnish and serve as desired.

More 4 Inch Cheesecake Recipes

Not a Funfetti fan? Check out my other mini cheesecake recipes:

• 4 Inch Cheesecake recipe
• 4 Inch Chocolate Cheesecake

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Source: Adapted from Taste Of Home