Birthday Cake Scones

December is my birthday month and today is my birthday! I started brainstorming a special and fun blog post for this day back in the summer because it’s actually a milestone birthday, too. Well, what’s more fun than some colourful Birthday Cake Scones you can pair with endless cups of tea? Needless to say, I have been holding on to this birthday cake scone recipe for the past few months. It was a bit of a struggle to keep it away from you for so long but I think it’s worth the wait. I hope you’ll bake these scones to celebrate my birthday today and every day this month (yes, I am someone who celebrates all month long). I also hope these birthday cake scones will find a spot at the tea table for your own birthday celebrations one day!

What is a Birthday Cake Scone?

Basically everything you love about a classic vanilla birthday cake but in scone form!

Without steering too far away from a scone texture, these birthday cake scones have some cake-like elements. Including, but not limited to, tender and buttery bites, lots of vanilla flavour in the dough and icing plus bright sprinkles.

You can even stick a candle in one, light it, blow it out and devour it! Just like a real birthday cake.

Why You’ll Love These Birthday Cake Scones with Vanilla Icing

• tastes quite similar to a classic vanilla birthday cake
• you can’t help but smile at all those colours!
• pairs well with a variety of teas
• less prep and cook time than if you were to bake an actual birthday cake
• you don’t need to wait for a birthday to enjoy these…perfect for any occasion, any time of the year!

Ingredients for Birthday Cake Scones

• Flour: Unbleached, all-purpose flour is the way to go. No need for more expensive cake flour, these are still scones.
• Baking Powder: A crucial ingredient to ensure the scones rise.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar for the scones, confectioners’ sugar for the icing.
• Butter: Responsible for flavour, crisp edges and the crumbly texture.
• Milk: I recommend either whole (3.5%) milk or 2% milk for this recipe. The fat and sugar content as well as overall creaminess will make a big difference when it comes to that birthday cake flavour.
• Egg: This will bind the ingredients and help the scones rise, too.
• Vanilla Extract: Real, pure vanilla extract is preferred so the scones will not taste artificial. However, imitation will still work just fine if that’s all that is available.
• Rainbow Sprinkles: Did you know not all sprinkles are created equal? Most should not be added into dough because they will melt and not look appetizing. “Jimmies” are the type of sprinkles best for this Birthday Cake Scones recipe because their colour bleeds minimally compared to other sprinkle options. “Jimmies” are the little rod shaped sprinkles shown below.

How to Store Birthday Cake Scones

These scones are best enjoyed the same day.

However, if by some miracle you have leftovers, store them inside an airtight container in the fridge. This way the icing on top of the scones does not melt. 

If stored properly, they will keep for a couple of days. But, I really doubt they will last that long! You’ll be making another batch soon enough.

What do I serve with Birthday Cake Scones?

Birthday Cake Scones can be served with the usual clotted cream and jam. I would recommend either strawberry or raspberry jam with these particular scones.

However, because these scones are already dressed up with a layer of icing and quite sweet I like to just enjoy them as is. 

Tea Pairing Recommendations

Even though I don’t serve them with any spreads, tea is still required. Luckily, I find this sweet creamy vanilla scone goes well with all types of teas.

Here are some recommendations to get you started:

• Black Tea: Any breakfast tea, Golden Monkey, Earl Grey
• Green Tea: Sencha, Jasmine, Gunpowder
• White Tea: White Peony, Silver Needle
• Oolong Tea: Da Hong Pao, Tie Guan Yin
• Herbal Tea: Chamomile, Sage, Peppermint

How to Make Birthday Cake Scones

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.

While the oven preheats it’s time to get the dough ready! Scones should always be placed inside a preheated oven to bake.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl: flour, baking powder and sugar. 

Cut cold butter into the dry mixture until coarse, similar to sand. You can do this with a pastry cutter, but that tool isn’t absolutely necessary. Just like with my other scone recipes, I prefer using my fingers for this step. Just don’t forget to wash your hands!

Using fingers will help the butter remain cold. If you were to use your palms you risk warming the butter too much. Cold butter is important for scones. 

Whisk milk, egg and vanilla extract in a measuring cup. Add to the dry ingredients mixing bowl with rainbow sprinkles. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until dough begins to form. 

Place dough on a floured surface and form into a round disk about 1.5 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and set on a baking sheet. Brush tops with milk and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let cool.

How to Make Vanilla Icing

Sift confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Sifting will help make sure there are no clumps in the vanilla icing. Combine with milk and vanilla extract. 

When the scones have cooled, add icing then more rainbow sprinkles on top. If the scones are not cooled prior to the icing will just run off and melt. So make sure they cooled completely. Also, make sure to add the sprinkles on top of the icing immediately so they stick before it hardens. 

All done! Make a pot of tea and enjoy the birthday cake scones!

Birthday Cake Scones

These funfetti style scones are perfect for celebrations. Pillowy soft and tender. Sprinkled with bright colours, swirled with classic vanilla cake flavour and topped with creamy icing. Plus, faster prep and cook time than regular birthday cake!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 8

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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FOR THE SCONES

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 2/3 cup milk whole or two percent
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles + extra for garnish

FOR THE ICING

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk whole or two percent
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

TO MAKE THE SCONES

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a large mixing bowl combine unbleached all-purpose flour, baking powder and granulated sugar.
• Add cold butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or clean fingers, cut until the mixture is coarse.
• In a measuring cup, whisk milk, egg and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients mixing bowl with rainbow sprinkles.  Gently fold with a rubber spatula until dough begins to form. 
• With floured hands, form the dough into a ball. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour. If it is too dry, add more milk.
• Place the ball of dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round disk about 1.5 inches thick. With a sharp knife, slice 8 wedges.
• Place scones on the lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with milk.
• Bake in a preheated oven until lightly golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before icing.

TO MAKE THE ICING

• In a small bowl, sift confectioners' sugar and whisk with milk and vanilla extract. Add a little more confectioners' sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.
• When the scones have cooled spread icing and add more rainbow sprinkles on the tops.

Notes

These scones are best enjoyed the same day. However, if you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge so the icing does not melt. They can keep for a couple of days.

Course Scones

Cuisine American

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