60th Birthday Cake
This elegant 60th birthday cake balances soft vanilla layers, bright fruit filling, and silky cream cheese frosting. It’s perfect for marking a milestone with home‑made love and style.
Equipment
- 2 9‑inch round cake pans
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 2.5 cups all‑purpose flour sifted
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1.75 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Filling
- 0.75 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Splash of milk or cream (optional) to loosen frosting if needed
Decoration Optional
- Fresh berries
- Edible flowers or gold dust
- Candles or chocolate curls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9‑inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding the dry mixture and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined.
- Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans. Bake 25‑30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Once cooled, spread the preserves mixed with lemon juice onto one cake layer. Place the second layer on top.
- Make the frosting: beat the softened cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk if needed to reach spreadable consistency.
- Frost the entire cake with the cream cheese frosting. Chill for 20 minutes to set. Decorate with berries, edible flowers, gold dust or candles as desired.
Notes
This cake can be made a day ahead: bake and wrap the layers, then frost just before serving. Use almond flour for a lighter, low‑carb twist. Let the cake come to room temperature before slicing for best texture.