Classic Birthday Cake Recipes

CLASSIC BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or grease with softened butter. If your oven cannot accommodate all 3 pans on one middle rack, while the oven is still cool, arrange 2 racks as close to the middle as possible, allowing enough space between them for the cakes on the lower rack to rise without touching the one above it.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together; set aside. In a medium bowl (or a measuring cup), combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; set aside.
• In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and light brown sugar. Using an electric mixer (or the stand mixer) on high, beat everything together until it's very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating between additions. Beat the batter until it's almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low, gently beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Before it's fully combined, add in 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk until everything is well blended and no lumps remain.
• Divide the cake batter equally among the three cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan or rack placement halfway through baking. You'll know the cakes are done when they are golden brown, pulling away from the sides of the pan, and the tops spring back ever so slightly when you press them.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and let sit for five minutes to cool slightly before inverting them onto a wire baking rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting and assemble the cake: Melt the chocolate either in a bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted, or in a double boiler or makeshift double boiler (a bowl set over a bowl of barely simmering water on the stove, but not touching the water), stirring occasionally until melted. The melted chocolate should be warm but never hot, with no visible chunks left.
• Add about ⅓ of the sour cream to the melted chocolate and using a spatula, combine until no white streaks remain. Repeat with another ⅓, and finally the last ⅓. The chocolate will stiffen a bit as you add the sour cream, and this is O.K.
• In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Using an electric mixer (or the stand mixer) on low speed at first to avoid showering yourself with sugar, and then increasing to high speed, beat until everything is fluffy and almost pure white, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the chocolate mixture and blend. Increase the speed to high and beat until everything is very fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes.
• Once cakes are cooled, transfer one layer of cake, top side up, to a large parchment-lined plate. Use an offset or regular spatula to spread frosting onto the first layer of cake. Place second layer of cake on top, bottom side up (layering the rest of cake with the flat bottoms on top makes a cake with a straight shape, rather than domed). Repeat with remaining layer.
• Once all the layers are assembled, apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake, making sure to cover the whole cake. Chill the cake for 2 hours, keeping the frosting out at room temperature.
• Remove the cake from the fridge and using either an offset spatula or a butter knife, give it another coat of frosting, doing whatever decorative patterns or swirls you wish: very smooth, or peaks and valleys.
• Finish and decorate with sprinkles however you please.

CLASSIC VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; dust with flour, and tap out the excess.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Beat the butter, sugar and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla until combined.
• Alternate folding the flour mixture and the milk into the batter with a spatula, adding the flour in three additions and the milk in two, starting and ending with the flour, until just smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes on the same oven rack until golden on top and the centers spring back to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate the pans about halfway through if they seem to be browning unevenly. Let cool in the pans about 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: While the cakes cool, beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Once it's all been added, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until white and fluffy. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk, and beat to incorporate. Beat in the remaining milk, one tablespoon at a time (the frosting will be spreadable but not runny).
• To assemble: Place 1 cake layer right-side up on a cake plate or stand, and spread with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

CLASSIC BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Combine sifted flour and baking powder in a bowl; set aside.
• Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar; beat until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Divide batter equally among the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8 inch round pans.
• Sift flour before measuring; resift with salt and baking powder at least twice more.
• Beat egg yolks until very thick and pale - approximately 5 minutes with a mixer on high speed.
• In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine and sugar. Blend in eggs. Fold sifted mixture, alternately with milk, into creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake springs back when touched. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out, and cool on wire rack. Frost with Decorator Frosting.

THE BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and spray again.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and egg whites until evenly combined. Add the vanilla and milk and whisk until incorporated.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar and salt. Sift in the cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix on low speed to incorporate.
• Cut the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter to the dry ingredients, one piece at a time. Continue mixing until a sandy, coarse meal forms, 3-4 minutes.
• With the mixer running on low speed, pour in one-quarter of the wet ingredients at a time and mix to incorporate, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Continue mixing until the batter is smooth.
• Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in the sprinkles with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, tapping the pans on the counter a couple of times to release any large air bubbles.
• Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. 8. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely, about 1 hour. Once cooled, run an offset spatula around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes, then invert onto the rack and remove the parchment rounds.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), whip the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.
• With the mixer running on low speed, add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time. Once incorporated, add the cream, vanilla, and salt. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 3 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy.
• Assemble the cake: Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the top of each cake to create a flat surface. Discard the scraps.
• Smear a bit of frosting onto an 8-inch cake round set on top of a cake stand, then place a cake layer on the round. Use a large offset spatula to spread an even layer of frosting over the cake. Place another cake layer on top and frost. Place the last cake layer, bottom-side up, on top and spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake to make the crumb coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until the frosting is set.
• Generously spread a thick, even layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the cake with the remaining frosting and sprinkles as desired.
• Slice and serve. Cake can be kept at room temperature for 2 hrs and refrigerated for 3 days.
• Enjoy!