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Birthday Cake Recipe

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4 from 10 reviews

This classic birthday cake recipe features light and fluffy vanilla cake layers baked to perfection and filled with luscious whipped cream and strawberry jam. Decorated with chocolate-tinted cream, fresh strawberries, and a playful face drawn with melted dark chocolate, this cake combines simple flavors with charming presentation—ideal for celebrations and special occasions.

Ingredients

Cake Layers

  • 225 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 225 g granulated sugar
  • 85 g unsalted butter
  • 190 g milk (dairy or non-dairy)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Filling & Decoration

  • 300 g whipping cream or heavy cream (cold)
  • 30 g powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–2 teaspoons cocoa powder

Additional Decorations

  • 4 tablespoons strawberry jam (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2–3 fresh strawberries (halved)
  • 1 birthday candle (preferably white and red striped)
  • 20 g dark chocolate (roughly chopped)

Instructions

  1. Bake Cake Layers: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds on the bottom and grease the sides lightly. Set aside.
  2. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Heat Milk Mixture: In a small pot or microwave-safe bowl, combine unsalted butter, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Warm on the stovetop or microwave until butter melts completely without boiling. Cover and keep warm.
  4. Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment to beat the eggs and granulated sugar at medium speed for 6 minutes, until the mixture triples in volume and becomes pale off-white.
  5. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add half of the flour mixture to the eggs and sugar, mixing on low just until barely combined. Add the rest of the flour, mixing until mostly combined but still slightly patchy to avoid overmixing.
  6. Add Warm Milk Mixture: With mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the warm milk mixture and continue to mix until you achieve a smooth, fluid batter.
  7. Fill Cake Pans: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, filling them about halfway.
  8. Bake: Place pans in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out mostly clean with a few crumbs.
  9. Cool Cakes: Let the cake layers cool in pans for 15 minutes, then gently run an offset spatula around edges and transfer cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
  10. Prepare Whipped Cream: In a large chilled mixing bowl, add the cold whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cream to soft peaks.
  11. Create Chocolate Whipped Cream: Scoop out a small amount of whipped cream into a separate bowl and mix in cocoa powder until evenly tinted brown. Transfer this chocolate cream to a small piping bag and snip off the tip. Set aside.
  12. Fill Piping Bags: Transfer the remaining plain whipped cream to another piping bag and cut the tip off for easy piping.
  13. Assemble Cake Base Layer: Place one cake layer on a large serving plate or cake board. Pipe dollops of plain whipped cream along the edge, pointing towards the center. Use a spatula to gently drag the dollops’ tails inward, creating a smooth decorative layer.
  14. Add Strawberry Jam: Spoon strawberry jam into the center of the first cake layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula, careful not to disrupt the whipped cream edges.
  15. Add Top Layer and Decorate: Position the second cake layer on top of the jam. Pipe more dollops of plain whipped cream on top. Arrange halved fresh strawberries over the cream. Place the birthday candle in the center.
  16. Pipe Cream Legs: Use the chocolate whipped cream to pipe small decorative “legs” extending from the bottom of the cake layer outward onto the serving plate.
  17. Draw Face with Melted Chocolate: Melt chopped dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler until smooth. Transfer melted chocolate to a small piping bag with a fine tip and pipe eyes and a smile on the bottom cake layer between the chocolate whipped cream legs.

Notes

  • Use room temperature eggs for better volume when beating with sugar.
  • Do not boil the milk-butter mixture; just melt the butter and heat gently.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the cake light and fluffy.
  • Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for whipped cream for best results.
  • When melting chocolate, stir frequently to prevent burning.
  • Fresh strawberries add brightness and aesthetics, but you can substitute with other fresh fruits as preferred.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/birthday-cake-recipe/