Delicious Vanilla Birthday Cake Recipe Everyone Will Love

Baking experts speculate that vanilla cake may actually be harder to bake than chocolate cake. For one thing, the vanilla cake has a richer flavor than chocolate cake, so it’s easier to ruin the delicate flavor. Want to know how to make the best birthday cake? Well, the truth is it really is simple and easy and all you need is a little planning and creativity. For example,

Start with your favorite cake recipe (you’ve got the taste sorted) Decide how big or home many layers you want for your cake (number of people to feed) – see my serving chart Next, decide what frosting works best with your cake. What is the timeline for making this cake? Baking, cooling, frosting, storage. How are you going to decorate it – finishing touches (I used sprinkles today) Now you are ready to start.

Today, we make standard-size that make 8 to 10 party servings. It’s a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and topped with a few sprinkles. This is probably the easiest birthday cake you can make. Or do you prefer a chocolate birthday cake instead?

Why make this vanilla cake?

A simple vanilla cake yet with a light and airy texture with a wonderful aroma and taste of vanilla. The batter is a classic vanilla cake batter. It’s made with butter, white sugar, and cake flour using the creaming method. A surprisingly simple and easy recipe baked from scratch from start to finish. All the ingredients in this recipe are easy to find or simple pantry staples. To keep it classic, I’ve paired this with my bakery-style buttercream frosting, which is very popular because it’s easy and simple to make. Having said that, there are so many other choices for the frosting you can use for this cake, such as: Swiss meringue buttercream or Italian Meringue Buttercream French or German Buttercream Frosting Chocolate Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. See all over 30 plus frosting recipes This cake can be covered with fondant. Chill the cake well before rolling the fondant. Also, you can use this cake in tiered cakes such as weddings and other celebrations. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. You can freezer the cake layers well wrapped for up to one month before frosting. Timeline and process for this cake. Cake batter – 10 mins Baking the cake – 30 mins Prepare frosting and simple syrup – 20 mins Cooling cakes before frosting – 4 hours (preferably overnight) Stack the layer with frosting – 20 mins Frosting the cake – 30 mins Final smoothing – 20 mins (border piping and sprinkles) Active time – 1 1/2 hours Inactive time – 5 hours

Best vanilla cake recipe

Cake

Oen and Pans – Preheat the oven to 325 °F/ 165 °C/ Gas Mark 3. Grease and line 3 x 8-inch round cake pans or 2 x 9-inch round cake pans. Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to combine. Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

Flour – dd the flour mixture and buttermilk in three batches. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure you have a smooth batter. Pans – Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans.Pro tip – I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat. Bake – Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the baking pan for 5 minutes. Invert and cool on a cooling rack completely before you decorate.

Bakery style buttercream frosting

Watch this video of me making this bakery-style buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream butter and shortening for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Then, add cornstarch to the hot water and add it to the creaming mixture.Pro tip – Add the water to the cornstarch at the time you want to add it to the butter otherwise it will become lumpy. Continue to cream until it’s a smooth mixture again. Then, add vanilla extract and combine well. Finally, start adding the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once all the sugar is in – whip the buttercream for a good three minutes until light and fluffy.Pro tip – It is important to whip so you have a whipped-cream like consistency. Otherwise, the buttercream will be too soft to spread.

Assemble

Prepare simple syrup – cool completely before using.Pro tip – Simple syrup is just sugar and water boiled for 3 minutes. It keeps the cake layers moist. Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers using a serrated knife. Brush each layer with the cooled, simple syrup. Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.Pro tip – If you plan to move the cake, it is best to use a cake circle under the cake, so you can pick the cake with its base and without any accidents.

Top with a big dollop of buttercream – spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula. Then, top the second cake layer on top followed by buttercream and the last cake.Pro tip – It is best to lift individual cake layers on pieces of clean cardboard or cake lifter so you do not break them from table to cake. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.Pro tip – Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don’t move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.

Spread the remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake.Pro tip – A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better. Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe swirls on top of the cake. Decorate with sprinkles or as desired.

Storage

Once decorated, the cake does not need to be refrigerated. It can stay at room temperature for two days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Once cut, always cover the cut side of the cake with plastic wrap so the cake does not dry out.

Creative ways to decorate vanilla cake

One easy and classic option is a naked cake! Simply dust the top with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream. If you’re looking for something a bit more unique, try layering sliced strawberries, raspberries, or peaches over the top of the cake for a fruity twist. For a more formal occasion, consider using a piping bag and frosting to decorate the cake with intricate designs or personalized messages. You can also add edible flowers or other decorations to give it a touch of elegance. Another fun option is to cut the cake into fun shapes and designs, such as squares or triangles, and serve on a platter with a variety of toppings and sauces. Whatever your choice for decorating and serving your vanilla cake, be sure to have fun and let your creativity shine.

Creative ways to serve vanilla cake

Mini Vanilla Layer Cakes: Create mini vanilla layer cakes using a round cookie cutter to cut out small rounds from the cake layers. Stack them with layers of frosting in between for mini cake towers. Top each mini cake with a decorative frosting swirl, fresh fruit, or edible flowers. Naked Cake: Embrace the “naked cake” trend by frosting the cake layers thinly, allowing the layers to show through. Decorate with fresh berries, edible flowers, or a dusting of powdered sugar for a rustic and elegant look. Cake Push Pops: Serve the cake in push pop containers, alternating layers of cake and frosting. This makes for a fun and portable dessert that guests can enjoy on the go. Cake Parfaits: Layer chunks of vanilla cake with whipped cream, fruit compote, or chocolate ganache in clear glass containers to create visually appealing cake parfaits. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cake crumbs. Ice Cream Sandwiches: Slice the vanilla cake into thin layers and use them as the “bread” for ice cream sandwiches. Add a scoop of your favorite ice cream between two cake slices and roll the edges in fun toppings like mini chocolate chips or crushed nuts. Cake Truffles: Crumble the cake layers and mix them with frosting to create cake truffles. Roll the mixture into small balls, dip them in melted chocolate, and garnish with sprinkles, crushed nuts, or colored sugar. Cake Tiramisu: Substitute the traditional ladyfingers in tiramisu with layers of vanilla cake soaked in coffee and layered with mascarpone cheese mixture. Dust with cocoa powder for a delightful twist on a classic dessert. Cake Milkshakes: Blend chunks of vanilla cake with vanilla ice cream and milk to create cake milkshakes. Top with whipped cream and a mini slice of cake for a sweet and creamy treat. Cake Kabobs: Cut the cake into cubes and skewer them with fresh fruit pieces. Drizzle with a complementary sauce, such as caramel or chocolate, and serve as cake kabobs. Cake Fondue: Slice the cake into bite-sized cubes and serve with a warm chocolate or caramel fondue for dipping. Provide an assortment of toppings like chopped nuts, sprinkles, and shredded coconut for guests to coat their cake bites. Deconstructed Cake: Present the cake in a deconstructed form by serving cake cubes, frosting, and various toppings in separate bowls. Guests can build their own cake creations, allowing for customization.