This post may contain affiliate links which means I will get a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for details.
Birthday cake batter protein balls are protein-packed snacks that taste like desserts! Try this super easy, no-bake recipe using only seven ingredients.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Snack enthusiasts can finally indulge on their mid-day (or midnight 😉) cravings guilt-free, thanks to these cake batter protein balls!
These delightful bite-sized treats are big on flavor. In fact, they’re copycats of a dessert that’s way bigger than them: a freaking birthday cake!
These birthday cake protein balls also earned their title because each piece is packed with protein.
Adorned with colorful sprinkles, it’s hard to believe these cute balls are also good for you. What’s even better is they require no baking, and you can easily whip them up with 7 simple ingredients.
What Are Cake Batter Protein Balls?
Cake batter protein balls are bite-sized protein and fiber-packed snacks that taste like desserts. Crafted from nut butter, oat flour, and protein powder, these scrumptious balls are perfect for taming our inner “hangry” monster.
These birthday cake protein balls actually remind me of a joke my friends would make whenever I felt irritated. “Maybe you just need a cake!” they would say.
Well, thanks to these protein balls, I don’t need to wait for my birthday to enjoy the sweet flavors of a birthday cake. And best of all, I can savor them guilt-free!
The fact that you don’t need a food processor or oven to whip these bad boys up is also a win-win!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Why you’ll love these protein balls? More like, what is there NOT to love?!
- No-Bake: These cake batter protein balls are low-effort goodies. Just combine the ingredients, shape them into balls, roll them in rainbow sprinkles, and you’re done! No food processor or baking required.
- Satisfying: Say adios to mid-day and midnight hunger pangs with these delightful fuel balls. Made with oat flour, nut butter, and protein powder, these birthday cake protein balls will keep those cravings in check.
- Tastes Like Birthday Cake: These protein balls will have you saying, “I can’t believe they taste like a birthday cake!” Using vanilla protein powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract is such a genius way to replicate our favorite birthday cake in bite-sized form.
What Do Birthday Cake Protein Balls Taste Like?
These cake batter protein balls taste like…a birthday cake! 🎂
The secret lies in the sweet pairing of vanilla protein powder, vanilla extract, and maple syrup!
And to further elevate the cake batter flavor, make sure to use cashew or almond nut butter. In my opinion, peanut butter tastes too nutty compared to the birthday cake we crave.
You can also tweak this recipe by adding other yummy ingredients to fully capture the essence of your favorite birthday cake.
Are Birthday Cake Batter Protein Balls Healthy?
Cake batter protein balls combine the power of nut butter and protein powder to give you a dose of protein in a way that will also make your inner child’s birthday cake cravings happy.
But that’s not all because the oat flour in this recipe is not only for ensuring the perfect batter consistency. It also adds a punch of fiber to keep you full for longer!
Finally, we’ll be getting some good fats (yes, fats can be good too) from the nut butter. This recipe’s cashew butter might even be good for heart health since cashew consumption reduces cholesterol. 💗
What Are The Benefits Of Protein Balls?
These protein balls don’t need a food processor or oven; I dare you to find delightful treats that are easier to make!
I even had fun rolling them into balls, and of course, the final touch of rainbow sprinkles is the icing on these birthday cake protein balls.
They will satisfy your sweet tooth minus the guilt from most desserts.
And despite being small, these balls are protein powerhouses! Maybe next time you’re craving cake pops and donut holes, you’ll whip up these cake batter protein balls instead. 😋
Ingredients For Birthday Cake Protein Balls
- Cashew butter – Source of protein and acts as the binder to make the “dough” of these yummy cake batter protein balls. You can also use other kinds of nut butter, but cashew tastes the most neutral!
- Maple syrup – Instead of sugar, we’ll sweeten these birthday cake protein balls with maple syrup. Feel free to swap with any of your favorite liquid sweeteners!
- Vanilla extract – We’ll add some vanilla extract to the mixture to give it the familiar birthday cake flavor we love.
- Oat flour – You can blend rolled oats, but I’m all for the quick and easy way, so I’ll be using oat flour for a boost of fiber. Oat flour also soaks the excess moisture on the protein ball batter to give it a more workable texture.
- Vanilla protein powder – Protein powders differ in texture, and if you’re using whey protein powder, you might need to add a tablespoon for better batter consistency.
- Salt – Because any sweet recipe is made better by a hint of saltiness.
- Rainbow sprinkles – Make your healthy protein balls not only taste like birthday cake batter but also look as festive with colorful candy sprinkles. 🎉
Tools Needed To Prepare Birthday Cake Protein Balls
- Mixing bowls for mixing the cake batter protein balls
- Mixing spoon for easier incorporation of the ingredients
- Cookie scoop for scooping and portioning the cake batter protein bites
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Birthday Cake Protein Balls
Cashew butter
Another nut butter that will work well for this cake batter protein balls recipe is almond butter. It’s also a good source of protein and tastes absolutely delicious, especially with chocolate chips, if you want another version of these protein cake bites.
Oat flour
Can I use another flour for these birthday cake protein balls? You can swap oat flour with protein-packed almond flour and enjoy energy on the go with balls that taste like birthday cake batter!
White chocolate chips
Want to make these cake batter protein balls look and taste more indulgent? You can dip them in melted white chocolate chips before finishing off with a coating of rainbow sprinkles.
How to Make Cake Batter Protein Balls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cashew butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup oat flour
- ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder
- Dash of salt
- Rainbow sprinkles for rolling
Tools you need:
Instructions:
STEP 1: Combine the cashew butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
STEP 2: Stir in the oat flour, protein powder, and salt. Mix the ingredients until you form a malleable dough.
STEP 3: Scoop out the batter with a cookie scoop and roll the protein balls between your palms. Set the cake batter protein balls aside.
STEP 4: Pour the rainbow sprinkles into a bowl.
STEP 5: Roll the birthday cake protein balls into the rainbow sprinkles until they’re fully covered.
STEP 6: Enjoy your cake batter protein balls freshly made, or chill them in the fridge before serving to firm them up!
What To Serve With Cake Batter Protein Balls
To keep things healthy and filling but still satisfy your sweet tooth, you can serve these birthday cake protein balls with a cup of “healthy” hot chocolate!
The recipe? Just mix unsweetened cocoa powder, pitted dates, vanilla extract, and oat milk. 😋
Or, for a fruity twist, these protein-packed spheres will also go well with juicy, sweet-tangy mixed berries.
Speaking of berries, explore more dreamy desserts that feature mother nature’s candies. Try our easy cinnamon mixed berry dessert nachos for a sweet twist on nachos or the too-pretty-to-eat viral blueberry cookies that are taking over TikTok.
Tips About Making Birthday Cake Batter Protein Balls
Avoid runny or crumbly cake batter protein balls with these tips! There’s also a secret ingredient you can use to make these energy bites taste more like birthday cake. 😉
- If your protein ball dough is not malleable enough, just add a bit of water until it’s more workable.
- You can also add more oat flour to fix your batter if it’s too wet to form into balls. And if it’s crumbly, use a teaspoon or two of milk into the mixture.
- Did you know that ¼ teaspoon of almond extract can make these protein balls taste even more like a birthday cake batter? It gives it more depth than just tasting like a vanilla cake.
How To Store Cake Batter Protein Balls
You can make these birthday cake protein bites in advance or enjoy your leftovers for later. Here’s how:
- Fridge: For leftovers or if you made these birthday cake protein balls in advance, transfer them to an airtight container and store the balls in the fridge for one week.
- Freezer: If you’re planning to make a big batch and store the cake batter protein balls for longer, flash freeze them first on a cookie sheet. Then, transfer the balls inside a freezer-safe bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months!
What Are Protein Balls Made Of?
Protein balls are no-bake treats that are usually made from protein powder, nut butter, and oat flour.
For this protein balls recipe that tastes like a birthday cake, we’re adding vanilla extract, maple syrup, some salt, and colorful birthday cake sprinkles.
When Should I Eat A Protein Ball?
You can eat these protein balls before or after working out. Because they’re packed with protein, they can act as a long-lasting energy source before a workout or replenish the body after exercising. 💪
How Often Should You Eat Protein Balls?
You can eat these yummy cake batter protein balls as often as you like, day or night. But because these bites are full of protein, fiber, and fats, enjoy them as snacks in between your main meals to keep you full and energized.
FAQ About Birthday Cake Protein Balls
Can I use a different flour for these cake batter protein balls?
You can substitute oat flour with almond flour for these cake batter protein balls. Just keep in mind that you may need to increase the amount as it’s not as dense as oat flour.
Why are my protein balls not sticking together?
If your protein balls are not sticking together, try adding a teaspoon of water for a moisture boost. Continue adding a teaspoon of water at a time until you can form the batter into balls.
Do protein balls need to be refrigerated?
You can enjoy these protein balls as soon as you make them, but I personally prefer to firm them up for a few minutes in the fridge. And to keep them fresh, you can store them in the fridge for up to a week!
Cake Batter Protein Balls
Birthday cake batter protein balls are protein-packed snacks that taste like desserts! Try this super easy, no-bake recipe using only seven ingredients.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the cashew butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
- Stir in the oat flour, protein powder, and salt. Mix the ingredients until you form a malleable dough.
- Scoop out the batter with a cookie scoop and roll the protein balls between your palms. Set the cake batter protein balls aside.
- Pour the rainbow sprinkles into a bowl.
- Roll the birthday cake protein balls into the rainbow sprinkles until they’re fully covered.
- Enjoy your cake batter protein balls freshly made, or chill them in the fridge before serving to firm them up!
Notes
- Add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to get a more cakey flavor on your birthday cake protein balls!
- If the dough is not workable, adjust its consistency with a bit of water until it’s malleable enough to form into balls.
- Is your batter for the protein balls too wet? Just add more oat flour until it’s more like regular cookie dough. But if it’s crumbly, a teaspoon or two of milk should fix it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.
Conclusion
Skip the store-bought protein bars and whip up a batch of these incredibly easy and tasty cake batter protein balls instead!
No need to wait for your birthday; the sweetness of these birthday cake protein balls will satisfy your nostalgia for the ultimate childhood dessert. No baking required!
To make this protein ball recipe, just combine your nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, protein powder, and oat flour until you end up with a cookie dough-like mixture. And finally, roll them in fun sprinkles to truly capture the essence of a birthday cake.
Love bite-sized goodies like these birthday cake energy balls? These recipes will be perfect for you: