This deliciously easy birthday cake from scratch features creamy frosting and multiple fluffy yet moist rainbow cake layers.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake
Servings: 4
Calories: 414kcal
Ingredients
2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1 1/2cupssugar
1/2cupunsalted butterat room temperature
3teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonvanilla
1 1/2cupsmilk
3eggs
Buttercream Icing (This is a double recipe for a layer cake)
2sticksbutterat room temperature
4teaspoonsbutter flavoringcan use clear vanilla extract instead
6cupsconfectioner's sugar
4-8tablespoonsmilk
Instructions
For 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 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 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.
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.
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.
Ice the cooled cake (see photos and instructions in this post if needed) and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Please note: 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. I figure life is challenging enough so I do things to take the easy way out when possible, such as when I make cake icing. Note: 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. A lot of people use a product like Baker's Joy as well, which is shortening and flour in one spray. That works great but is a little more expensive so I just stick with my cooking spray that I buy in big old bulk cans at Sam's. It takes ten forevers to use one of those up.