This Easy Birthday Cake Recipe is your stress-free ticket to creating a beautiful and delicious homemade cake perfect for any celebration. It’s designed for beginners and busy bakers alike, proving that impressive desserts don’t need to be complicated.
Key Ingredients for Easy Birthday Cake Recipe
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: Food coloring, sprinkles for decoration
How to Make Easy Birthday Cake Recipe
This Easy Birthday Cake Recipe is a delightful journey into simple baking, promising a moist, tender crumb and a crowd-pleasing flavor. Its beauty lies in its straightforward approach, requiring just basic pantry staples and minimal effort. Imagine the joy of presenting a homemade masterpiece, ready in approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes (including baking and frosting), with minimal fuss and maximum flavor payoff, creating a truly satisfying dessert experience.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat and Prepare:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper for extra insurance against sticking.
Combine Dry Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Ensure these dry ingredients are thoroughly combined to distribute the leavening agents evenly.
Cream Butter and Sugar:
Add the softened unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer (or a sturdy whisk and a lot of arm power!), beat the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step starts to aerate the butter and sugar, contributing to the cake’s tender texture.
Incorporate Wet Ingredients, Alternating with Milk:
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient mixture, alternating additions of the wet mixture with the flour mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much and lead to a tougher cake.
Pour and Bake:
Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the Cake:
Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting.
Prepare the Frosting:
While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, alternating with the milk, beating until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. If you wish to color the frosting, add a few drops of food coloring and mix until evenly distributed.
Decorate Your Cake:
Once the cake is completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting over the top and sides using an offset spatula or a butter knife. Decorate with sprinkles, candles, or any other desired toppings.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Birthday Cake Recipe
You’ll absolutely adore this Easy Birthday Cake Recipe for its incredible simplicity and wonderfully comforting flavor. Unlike more elaborate cakes that require specialized techniques, this recipe delivers a soft, moist crumb that’s reliably delicious every single time, similar to how a classic vanilla bean bundt cake offers unassuming delight. The real magic, however, lies in the affordability of homemade baking; bypass expensive store-bought options and create a stunning centerpiece for a fraction of the cost, all while infusing it with your personal touch.
The creamy, dreamy frosting, customizable with your favorite colors and adorned with a cascade of playful sprinkles, transforms this humble cake into a festive showstopper. It’s the perfect canvas for your creativity, ensuring your birthday star feels truly celebrated. Ready to ditch the baking stress and bake a smile? Give this Easy Birthday Cake Recipe a try – your taste buds (and your wallet) will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Storing: Once frosted, store the Easy Birthday Cake Recipe at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If your kitchen is particularly warm or the frosting contains dairy that might spoil, it’s best to refrigerate it. If refrigerating, cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out.
- Reheating: You don’t typically need to reheat a cake, as it’s best served at room temperature. If your cake has been refrigerated and feels a bit firm, take it out about 30-60 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Freezing: Unfrosted layers of the cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. Frosted cakes are not ideal candidates for freezing as the frosting can become soggy upon thawing.
Final Thoughts
This Easy Birthday Cake Recipe is a testament to the joy of simple, homemade baking. Embrace the ease and delight in creating something special for your loved ones with this foolproof recipe. Get ready to bake, celebrate, and savor!
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Easy Birthday Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper for extra insurance against sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Ensure these dry ingredients are thoroughly combined to distribute the leavening agents evenly.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Add the softened unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer (or a sturdy whisk and a lot of arm power!), beat the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step starts to aerate the butter and sugar, contributing to the cake’s tender texture.1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients, Alternating with Milk: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient mixture, alternating additions of the wet mixture with the flour mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much and lead to a tougher cake.2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour and Bake: Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, alternating with the milk, beating until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. If you wish to color the frosting, add a few drops of food coloring and mix until evenly distributed.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Optional: Food coloring
- Decorate Your Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting over the top and sides using an offset spatula or a butter knife. Decorate with sprinkles, candles, or any other desired toppings.sprinkles for decoration