Easy Birthday Cake From Scratch
This deliciously easy birthday cake from scratch features creamy frosting and multiple fluffy yet moist rainbow cake layers.
Servings: 4
Calories: 414kcal
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl https://amzn.to/3LCxUbD
- 1 Electric mixer https://amzn.to/3EWp2dn
- 2 Cake Pans https://amzn.to/46lj41c
- Sprinkles https://amzn.to/3zkEKMx
- 1 Cake plate https://amzn.to/3K2BQAW
- 1 Frosting spreader https://amzn.to/3G0Mcjt
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 eggs
Buttercream Icing (This is a double recipe for a layer cake)
- 2 sticks butter at room temperature
- 4 teaspoons butter flavoring can use clear vanilla extract instead
- 6 cups confectioner's sugar
- 4-8 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the Birthday Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray two 9-inch cake pans liberally with cooking spray, or grease and flour. (Can also use a 9x13-inch pan or line 24 muffin tins with paper liners for cupcakes).
- Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl and cream together with an electric mixer.1 ½ cups sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt with a spoon. In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, and vanilla until well combined.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cups milk, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add half of the wet mixture and the flour mixture to the creamed butter and mix until well combined. Add the remaining and continue mixing until fully blended and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- If you want to add sprinkles, gently stir them using a spoon, once the cake batter is fully blended.
- Divide the cake mix evenly among the two cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned and center springs back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.
For the Buttercream Icing
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and about 1 cup of confectioner's sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the butter flavoring, half of the milk, and the remaining sugar, and beat again until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and adding a little extra milk if needed.2 sticks butter, 4 teaspoons butter flavoring, 6 cups confectioner's sugar, 4-8 tablespoons milk
- Ice the cooled cake (see photos and instructions in this post if needed) and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I am making a double recipe of icing so I can decorate a two-layer cake. The recipe posted at the bottom is also double a normal recipe size. If you want less, you can easily half it. Half will also work fine for a 9x13 cake or for those who want to challenge themselves to use as little as possible when decorating a layer cake.
- If you have a pan with a reputation for sticking, then grease it with shortening and powder it with flour. If you have a pan like 90% of all other cake pans, a generous dousing of cooking spray will work just fine.
Nutrition
Calories: 414kcal