Vanilla Birthday Cake with Old-Fashioned Vanilla Buttercream
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This moist and delicious birthday cake recipe is adapted from one of my favorite baking books, Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri.
My daughter is turning eight years old this week, and she’s been begging me for two things: a puppy and her favorite vanilla birthday cake. The puppy is definitely not going to happen – we already have one crazy dog – but the cake’s easy. I’ve been making this simple vanilla cake every year on her birthday since she was two. The cake portion of recipe is adapted from one of my favorite baking books, Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri, and the frosting recipe was handed down from my great-grandmother.
What you’ll need to make vanilla birthday cake
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Whisk well to combine.
Next, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the egg whites and milk. Be sure the eggs are at room temperature, otherwise your batter may curdle. To warm them up quickly, place them in a bowl of hot water before cracking them. When the butter and sugar are creamed, beat in the vanilla and almond extract, then add one-quarter of the flour mixture and beat on low speed.
Next, add one-third of the milk/egg mixture.
Continue alternating adding the flour and milk mixtures, scraping down the bowl as necessary. The batter will look like this.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
Bake the layers for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are set and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the layers in the pans for five minutes, then unmold onto racks to finish cooling.
While the cake cools, make the frosting. Begin by combining the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Beat until well combined.
Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.
Then beat in the vanilla and salt.
If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream.
When the layers are cool, frost the cake.
You can spread the frosting smooth, or swirl it casually with a butter knife. Since it’s an all white cake, I like to scatter some festive nonpareils or confetti sprinkles on the edges for color.
Or for a change, try topping the cake with heaps of shredded sweetened coconut — it’s amazing.
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Vanilla Birthday Cake with Old-Fashioned Vanilla Buttercream
This moist and delicious birthday cake recipe is adapted from one of my favorite baking books, Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri.
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
For the Buttercream
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
For the Cake
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut two 8-inch rounds of parchment paper and line the bottom of each pan; spray the paper with nonstick spray. (To measure the parchment paper, just trace the bottom of the pan.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until very soft and light. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the egg whites and milk by hand in a medium bowl until just combined.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in one-quarter of the flour mixture, then one-third of the milk mixture, stopping and scraping down the bowl and beater after each addition. Beat in another quarter of the flour, then another third of the milk mixture. Scrape again. Repeat with another quarter of the flour and the remaining milk mixture; scrape. Finally, beat in the remaining flour mixture.
- Scrape the bowl with a large rubber spatula. Don't worry if the the batter looks a little grainy. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are set and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on rack for 5 minutes, then unmold onto rack to finish cooling right side up (keep parchment paper underneath cake layers so they don't stick to rack). When cake layers are completely cool, transfer to cake plate and frost with vanilla buttercream. (I always flip the bottom layer of the cake so that the domed side is facing down and touching the plate. That way, the surface that you're icing is flat and will minimize any separating between the two layers when you put the other layer on top of it.)
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until creamy and well combined.
- Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat in the vanilla and salt. If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake layers can be frozen, without frosting, for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap them securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop and then frost before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 - 14 servings)
- Calories: 571
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 88g
- Sugar: 73 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 167 mg
- Cholesterol: 63 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Just wondering how long in advance I can bake, ice and decorate with fondant the cake. Do I have to make it the same day or can I do it 1-2 days beforehand? Also, do I store it in the refrigerator because of the buttercream?
Hi Mila, I would say one day ahead at the most is best. Technically, it should be refrigerated, but I haven’t done that and it’s been fine.
I made this cake today but it came out very flat. Didn’t rise at all and I measured correctly. I feel maybe I should have beat the egg whites more to make it come out higher. Now to the store to buy one!
So sorry to hear it didn’t rise! Is your baking powder really old?
Would it be ok if I just added coco powder to this recipe to make it into a chocolate cake
Hi Kenzie, I wouldn’t suggest changing this recipe. Instead, I’d recommend my chocolate cupcake recipe— It can easily be made into a 9-inch layer cake.
Hi there-
I followed the directions closely but the cake didn’t rise? Taste was good but it was flat and quite dense. Suggestions?
Hi Simone, I’m so sorry to hear you didn’t get a great result from the recipe! I’m wondering if perhaps you measured something incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method for measuring the flour?
This recipe looks awesome and I’m going to use it to make a baby shower cake…is there a way to make it a marble cake? ( vanilla and chocolate). Some recipes I have seen tell you just to keep a portion of the batter to the side and add cocoa powder.
Hi Heather, I’ve never tried this recipe for a marble cake…but I think it’d probably work with the cocoa powder – just be sure not to add too much as it will dry the cake out. Would love to know how it turns out if you try it!
Can this recipe be used for making cake pops in a cake pop maker? Or any suggestions for using a different recipe of yours?
Hi Carrie, I’d probably use this recipe instead – it’s a little sturdier.
Once again thank you for your delicious and easy to make recipes. I needed to make a birthday cake for Christmas Eve as it is my mother in law’s birthday and wanted to make something special outside of all our Christmas treats. I made this cake and paired with your chocolate butter cream but also added sprinkles to the batter to make a confetti cake. There was barely anything left and it was a huge success, especially with my mother in law. Thank you so much for all of your wonderful recipes! Happy New Year!
Dear Jenn, I just made this cake for the 3rd time, and it never fails to impress….That was the only cake my 10 year old wanted for his birthday this past Sunday… Not a store bought cake with his favorite team decorated all over, but THIS cake. It was such a hit, looks like I’ll be making it again on Xmas Eve. Thanks again, Marlene
That warms my heart, Marlene. My 12-year-old daughter still asks for this cake every year on her birthday. Happy Holidays!
Dear Jenn, I just wanted to say thanks for this DELICIOUS recipe. I made it yesterday, with your chocolate frosting recipe, for my son’s 3rd birthday. It was a huge hit! Everyone loved it, and I referred them to your site. I’m sure I will be searching your site for other tasty recipes in the near future. Thank you!
Hi, I am thinking to use 9 by 13 pan, do I need to double the recipe ? Would it work? Thank you.
Hi Ita, I haven’t tried this recipe in that shaped pan and not certain it would rise evenly. That said, if you’re only using one 9 x 13″ pan, I don’t think you’d need to double the recipe.
I’m curious if Ita tried the rectangular 9 x 13 pan as i would like to do the same and curious about measurements