Happy Birthday Cake
This Happy Birthday Cake is soft, moist, and topped with creamy buttercream frosting—perfect for any celebration. Simple to make, beautiful to serve, and full of love, it’s a cake that turns birthdays into unforgettable moments.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch Round Cake Pans
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- Parchment Paper
- Offset Spatula
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk room temperature
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tbsp heavy cream more as needed
- 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in vanilla.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
- Divide batter between pans and bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make frosting: beat butter until creamy, add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in cream and extract until light and fluffy.
- Assemble cake: place one layer on a plate, spread frosting on top, add the second layer, then frost outside. Decorate with sprinkles, fruit, or piped “Happy Birthday.”
Notes
For a funfetti effect, fold sprinkles into the batter. Swap vanilla for cocoa to make a chocolate version. Cake layers can be baked ahead, wrapped, and frosted the next day. Leftovers freeze well for up to 2 months.