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–+ servings
A slice of a three-layer vanilla birthday cake decorated to look like a bear's face with white frosting and cookie ears.

Simple Statement Birthday Cake

This recipe provides instructions for a basic layer cake suitable for simple, yet striking, birthday decoration.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour Sifted
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter Softened
  • 1.5 cups Granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 tbsp Baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
For the Simple Frosting
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter Softened
  • 4 cups Powdered sugar Sifted
  • 0.25 cup Milk Or more, as needed
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Two 8-inch round cake pans
  • Electric mixer
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
  3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. To make the frosting, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add more milk if the frosting is too stiff.
  9. Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on a serving plate. Spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the second layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
  10. Decorate as desired. For a simple statement, use a piping bag to create a border or cover the top with fresh berries or sprinkles.

Notes

For a taller cake, you can bake the batter in three 6-inch pans instead of two 8-inch pans. Adjust the baking time slightly if you do this.

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