My Birthday Cake

Thanks Mom! I requested a good white cake with vanilla buttercream for my birthday and gave my mom this recipe. :) It was nice--tender and delicious--nothing fancy. It was fun to share with my family and it's been irresistible sitting on my counter top. It's allowing me to extend my birthday experience for several more days. I love birthdays! Each year I drag my celebration out longer and longer, savoring the pampering! I'm certainly blessed with dear friends and family! Continue for recipe.

Classic White Cake
adapted from America's Test Kitchen, 2006

2 1/4 cups cake flour (9oz)
1 cup milk, room temperature
6 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 t Princess Cake Flavor
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups sugar (12 1/4 oz)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Butter Frosting
16 tablespoons butter, softened but still cool
4 cups confectioner's sugar (1 pound)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
pinch of salt


1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cookings spray and line with parchment. Spray the paper rounds, dust with flour. Alternatively, spray with baking spray with flour.

2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup and mix with a flork until blended.

3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of mixer and turn on low speed.

4. Add butter; continue beating at low speed until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

5. Add all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture to the crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 min.

6. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture and beat 30 sec. more. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides. Return the mixer to medium high speed and beat 20 sec. longer.

7. Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans; spread the batter with rubber spatula. Place the pans 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart.

8. Bake 23-25 min.

9. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 3 min. Loosen and invert onto wire racks. Cool completely.

10. For frosting: Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt at low speed until sugar is moistened. Increase the speed to medium-hi; beat, stopping to scrape down the bowl, until creamy and fluffy, about 1 1/2 min. Avoid overbeating.