Say hello to your new favorite no-bake dessert! These Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats are the party-ready version of your favorite childhood snack. They are infused with real cake mix and topped with a fudgy frosting.
My Favorite Birthday Cake Alternative
My easy and gourmet cake batter rice krispie treats are bursting with colorful personality and flavor. They have everything you love about classic rice krispie treats–the chew, the crunch, and the sweet, nostalgic taste–but with a party flair from cake mix and fudgy frosting. They are so fun!
These treats do require some time standing over the stove, but there’s no turning on the oven, and they can be ready in a matter of minutes. They are thicker and more decadent than your average rice krispie, and each bite is absolutely loaded with the flavor of cake batter and sprinkles!
The cake batter fudge icing on top has white chocolate base infused with cake mix and vanilla. It’s a quick, perfectly smooth, candy-like frosting that perfectly complements the crunchy rice krispies. Just like the treats themselves, it’s easy to make and full of flavor.
Now let’s get this party started! 🎉
What You Need
Besides the obvious ingredients (rice krispies cereal and mini marshmallows) you will also need:
- Sweetened condensed milk. Make sure you don’t accidentally grab evaporated milk. These are sold right near each other and can be easy to mistake for one another, but they are very different.
- Butter. Unlike most of my recipes, I recommend using salted butter here.
- Cake mix. You know I’m a from-scratch kind of girl, but in this case, it’s hard to beat the “cake batter” flavor you get from boxed cake mix. I like to use white cake mix, but yellow or even strawberry would work too. And remember, you’re using just the cake mix itself here, not the add-ins (eggs, oil, etc.).
- White chocolate chips. These will create the base for our fudgy cake batter frosting.
- Sprinkles. We’ll add these to our cake batter rice krispies and on top of the fudgy frosting too, because I firmly believe you can never have enough sprinkles (and if you’re here, I’m sure you feel the same!).
SAM’S TIP: I’m not a big fan of using funfetti cake mix for this recipe simply because the sprinkles tend to melt and make for a muddled, messy appearance 🙁. If you are in a pinch, you could always use it and toss in extra sprinkles at the end though.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats
- Cook the butter and condensed milk over medium-low heat until the butter is completely melted.
- Add the marshmallows and stir until they start to melt, then add cake mix and stir that in too. Keep cooking until the marshmallows are completely melted.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, then add the cereal and stir until everything is mostly combined.
- Remove from heat and quickly fold in the sprinkles until evenly incorporated.
- Spread into a greased 9×13 pan (don’t pack it too tightly!).
- Make the frosting by cooking the white chocolate chips and remaining condensed milk over low heat until the chocolate chips are melted. Add cake mix and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Spread the frosting over the treats, then top with more sprinkles.
- Let cool before cutting and serving.
SAM’S TIP: If you have concerns about E.coli in the raw cake mix (I talk more about this in my cookie dough dip post), you can heat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals until it reaches 160F (71C) before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
These cake batter rice krispie treats are best fresh, but you can make them a day or two in advance if you like. You’ll want to store your treats in an airtight container at room temperature where they will last for about 3 days. I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge (it makes them too hard!).
The most likely reason is packing them too firmly into the pan. You want to make sure to press them in so they stick together after cutting, but don’t pack them too tight! This can also happen from cooking the marshmallows on too high of a heat, so make sure you keep the heat low during and after that step.
Yes! If you can find gluten free rice krispies cereal and gluten free cake mix, you should be good to go. As always, it’s important to check that all of your ingredients are gluten free before serving to gluten sensitive guests.
This recipe serves as a wonderful birthday cake alternative for someone who doesn’t love traditional cakes (and it even looks like a real frosted cake before you slice it up!).
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
Rice Krispie Treats
- ½ cup salted butter, cut into pieces, plus additional for greasing pan (113g)
- ¼ cup cup condensed milk see note (78g)
- 10 oz marshmallows (283g)
- 1 cup white cake mix, heat treated see note (135g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 cups crisped rice cereal (233g)
- ¼ cup colored sprinkles (40g)
Cake Batter Frosting
- 1 ½ cup white chocolate chips (226g)
- 1 cup condensed milk see note (312g)
- ½ cup white cake mix, heat treated (130g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup colored sprinkles (40g)
Recommended Equipment
- 13×9 pan
Instructions
- Prepare a 13×9" baking pan by lightly greasing with butter. Set aside.
- In large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter and condensed milk and stir until butter is completely melted.½ cup salted butter, cut into pieces,, ¼ cup cup condensed milk
- Add marshmallows, once they begin to melt stir in cake mix.10 oz marshmallows, 1 cup white cake mix, heat treated
- Reduce heat to very low and stir in vanilla extract.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Stir in cereal and stir.8 cups crisped rice cereal
- Remove pan from heat, scatter in sprinkles and stir until they are distributed through mixture. Spread into prepared pan.¼ cup colored sprinkles
Cake Batter Frosting
- Prepare the frosting by combining white chocolate chips and condensed milk in small saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until chocolate chips are completely melted.1 ½ cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup condensed milk
- Gradually stir in cake mix and vanilla extract until cake mix is dissolved.½ cup white cake mix, heat treated, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Remove from heat and immediately spread over rice krispie treats.
- Sprinkle with ¼ cup colored sprinkles.¼ cup colored sprinkles
- Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
Condensed milk
You will need an entire 14 oz can for this recipe, but it is divided between the treats and the frosting. Measure out ¼ cup (78g) to add to the cereal, and then use the rest for the icing.Cake mix
Because the cake mix contains raw flour, you will need to either use a thermometer to ensure your mixtures reach 160F (71C) or (easier) heat the cake mix in the microwave until it reads 160F (71C) when temped with an instant read thermometer.Different varieties of cake mix
I recommend using white cake mix and stirring in sprinkles rather than using Funfetti cake mix because the sprinkles melt very quickly so it’s best to add them as late in the game as possible. You can certainly use Funfetti (or even yellow cake mix) in a pinch, though.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Jayla
Do we need wax paper or parchment paper for this recipe?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jayla! You could use some if you’d like, or you can just grease your pan. Enjoy! 😊
skye
is it supposed to be sweetened condensed milk or unsweetened ?
Sam
Hi Skye! It’s sweetened condensed milk. 🙂
Alex Hanks
Hi, I am from the UK and White Cake mix is a bit harder to come by. Is it possible to use a Vanilla Cake mix instead?
Sam
Yes that would be fine! Enjoy!
Brian
Progressively very good!!! From just the batter fudge to the batter Krispy treats. I Love your recipes!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy everything so much, Brian! 🙂
Doug
Is it safe to use raw cake mix? I thought it had to be cooked/baked first? (other than helping yourself to a couple licks out of the bowl of course!) Thanks!
Sam
Hi Doug! You can always bake the cake mix in the oven to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit if you have concerns about the flour. 🙂
Rhonda
I just made them and oh my goodness. They are delicious!!!! I have a question storing. After you make them and let the sit for a bit should they be in the fridge?
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Rhonda! They will be fine stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 🙂
Fran Carbone
Can I use home made cake mix instead of boxed
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Fran! That should be fine as long as the ingredients are the same as the boxed mix. 🙂
Fran Carbone
Thank you. I was going to use one of your mixes would that work
Stori
Made my first batch and the frosting mix soaked through the rice krispy! I don’t know what i could have done wrong….. was the mix supposed to be thick or liquid type of mixture before u pour it on the rice krispy.
Sam
Hi Stori! It should be pretty thick and not very liquidy, thicker than condensed milk. Evaporated milk wasn’t used instead accidentally, was it?
Mandy
I was looking for something different to take to Thanksgiving and I literally just died and went to cake batter heaven!!! These are by far, the most delicious (rice crispy) treats I’ve ever had. I cannot wait to see the reaction on people’s faces when they dig in! If they can last that long!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I love it, Mandy! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Rice Krispie Treats and I hope that everyone else does too! Thanks for commenting. Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Cherry Sist
How can I be sure that the cake mix is cooked before adding the rest? I do rice Krispies treats but haven’t tried with cake mix. Thanks.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cherry! If you’re asking when making the frosting how you know when it is done, you want to stir until the cake mix has dissolved. When you say “cooked” if you’re referring to the Rice Krispie treat itself you’re adding cake mix in Step 3 along with marshmallows. You will mix until marshmallows are melted. The cake mix will be combined. I hope that I answered your question and that you enjoy the cake batter Rice Krispie Treats! 🙂
Haydee
How far in advance can I make these treats?
Sam
Hi Haydee! I probably wouldn’t make them earlier than 3 days in advance, but make sure to store them in an air tight container. 🙂
Kate
Really, really fabulous. I pressed the Rice Krispies into cake pans, and covered it with homemade marshmallow fondant. It turned out perfectly for a kids party! Thank you!
Sam
So happy to hear this! thanks for commenting, Kate 🙂
Nellie
Can I turn this into a chocolate Rice Krispie Treat by using chocolate cake mix for the the treats and the frosting without the consistency changing?
Sam
I think that would be totally find (and it sounds delicious!). Enjoy!
Kathy
Love this cake batter rice krispie treat. The only issue I had was the frosting. The frosting is very good but it makes the rice krispie soggy. It’s suggested to pour immediately after it’s cooked but I believe that causes soggy results. It will be difficult to spread if it’s cooler, so I will try a different frosting.
Shanice
Was it good
Ryenne Jones
Can you use milk chocolate instead if the person doesn’t like white chocolate?
Sam
Yup that will be fine
Elena
Can you leave out the sprinkles in rice krispie treats and use any milk and not condensed milk?
Sam
You can leave out the sprinkles but only condensed milk will work with this recipe.