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Best Buttermilk Birthday Cake

- 45 Comments

Hello, hello!

Ah yes, a pastel vanilla sprinkly cake! Hehe. But wait, before you wonder why the heck I’m sharing yet another vanilla cake recipe, it’s because this is truly, honestly, 100% the only vanilla birthday cake recipe you will ever need. A bold statement, but I vow that this cake is where my heart lives. Guys! While it’s not radically different than the vanilla cakes I’ve shared over the years, it’s that it really is the most tender, flavourful and spot-on, go-to, childhood-memory-evoking cake I’ve made. Aside from being perfectly unfussy and simple to make, it’s just the textures and flavours that dreams are made of.

A classic, pastel, 3-layer birthday cake! I think no matter how many innovations and creativity are brought to the world of baking and caking, having a “perfect” vanilla cake + birthday cake frosting recipe is a huge win. It’s what brings us all back to those days of childhood, and warms our hearts. I love adding just a tiny bit of colour and a good dose of sprinkles (in this case, too many really would be too many) to give it a real bakery feel. There’s just nothing that speaks to me more as a baker (and little girl at heart), than this aesthetic and flavour combination.

So the cake layers in the Best Buttermilk Birthday Cake are, well, buttermilk cake layers. But whoa, they are so buttery and soft. This is a slight modification from the Buttermilk Cake in the Sweetapolita Bakebook, and that cake is one of my favourites in all of the book! With a generous 5 eggs, lots of buttermilk, butter, premium vanilla bean paste and more, it’s an incredible base for really any cake you want to build–adding other flavours or even pairing it with virtually any filling, frosting or topping. The best building block in my vanilla cake repertoire.

You can see the tender, delightful crumb the cake yields, and now let’s talk about the frosting…

So, as you probably know, I love a good fluffy sweet frosting, and as much as I love Swiss Meringue Buttercream, there really just is a time and place for a super creamy but sweet frosting. Again, it’s that sweetness and fluffiness that airdrops me directly to my childhood birthdays. Mom used to get my cakes at the grocery store, at my request. A girly heart-shaped vanilla cake with stark white frosting, adorned with pink buttercream borders and topped with a few pink roses and, of course, a neatly scripted, pink gel “Happy Birthday Rosanne.”

So with that in my heart, I was so eager to try Christina Tosi’s “Birthday Cake Frosting,” from her Momofuko Milk Bar cookbook. You’ve likely all seen her famous and pretty-darn-awesome naked Birthday Layer Cake, based on those very grocery store birthday cakes I am referring to. While making her full recipe for the Birthday Layer Cake is near the top of my t0-bake list, I was most eager to try her frosting. So, I took her frosting recipe and modified it slightly to work with what I stock in my cupboards, and with some of the little frosting habits I can’t abandon, I whipped up what I consider to be the best bakery-style frosting I have ever tasted.

While this frosting recipe isn’t that much of a departure from my most-used party frosting, I think what makes this frosting so magical, is the use of  shortening (and butter), light corn syrup, dollops of cream cheese and tiny bit of acidity.

Christina’s recipes calls for glucose (a very thick clear sugary syrup) and corn syrup, and she also calls for a pinch of baking powder and citric acid. These are the ingredients I opted out of using, and instead I simply used light corn syrup (no glucose) and I used a few drops of lemon extract for the subtle zing.

The result is fluffy, smooth, creamy and so light. Sweet, with an underlying zing of cream cheese, but if you didn’t know there was cream cheese in there, you might not even be able to pinpoint that. There is nothing dense or thick about this frosting, which also makes it a dream to work with, both for frosting the actual cake and for piping. (As I always say, the consistency of your frosting is 90% of the battle when it comes to applying frosting to a cake or piping lovely borders.)

Just for fun, I added our Sugar Cookie Sprinkle Medley, which is a vegan, gluten-free, Kosher certified sprinkle mix that is ideal for adding to cakes and frosting, as the colours won’t bleed. The texture and taste of the coated chips in the frosting are reminiscent of the Betty Crocker Rainbow Chip Frosting I used to eat by the spoonful as a teenager. The chips soften up just the slightest bit, but the sprinkles remain crunchy. Basically it’s everything we daydream about. We add the sprinkles in between the layers and then into the actual frosting for a little hit of sprinkled cuteness.

Yesss…

Okay, now please go make this cake! xo

Print
Best Buttermilk Birthday Cake

3 layers of super-moist, vanilla buttermilk cake filled with fluffy white frosting and sprinkles. (Cake layers from The Sweetapolita Bakebook, and the frosting is adapted from Momofuko Milk Bar Cookbook). 

Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Cake layers:
  • 3 cups (350g) cake flour
  • 2 cups (400g) superfine sugar
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (227g/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract you can also use seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
  • 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
  • 5 whole eggs, room temperature
For the Birthday Cake frosting:
  • 1 cups (230g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) vegetable shortening
  • 3 tbsp (45ml) clear corn syrup (see notes)
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp lemon extract
  • 2 1/2 cups (400g) confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 cup (110g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (4oz) sprinkles, preferably jimmies + coated chips (I used Sweetapolita Sugar Cookie medley)
  • Few drops turquoise gel color (see notes)
Special Tools:
  • Piping tip Ateco #887
  • 18" piping bag
Instructions
For the Buttermilk Cake layers:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease the bottoms of three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans and line with parchment.

  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, add the cold butter one piece at a time. Beat until all of the butter is incorporated, about 3 minutes. The mixture should have a fine crumble, cornmeal-like texture.

  3. In a medium measuring cup with a spout, combine 1 cup (240ml) of the buttermilk, vanilla and almond extract. In a separate measuring cup, gently whisk the eggs and remaining buttermilk.

  4. Increase the mixer speed to medium-low. Gradually add the vanilla mixture and beat for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the egg mixture in three additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat until well combined, 2 minutes. Fold the batter once or twice to ensure everything has been incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

  5. Bake the first two layers in the centre of the oven until a wooden pick inserted into the centre comes out with a few crumbs, 20 to 22 minutes. Repeat with the final layer. Let the cake layers cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off the paper liners and let cool completely. 

  6. The cake layers will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For the Birthday Cake frosting:
  1. Combine the butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a regular mixing bowl if you are using a hand-held mixer), and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is creamy and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

  2. With the mixer on low speed, stream in the corn syrup, vanilla and lemon extract. Turn the mixer up to medium-high, and beat for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

  3. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt and beat on low speed until incorporated. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high and beat for 3 more minutes, until you have shiny, creamy, smooth frosting. 

  4. Add the softened cream cheese, and beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Don't over-beat, or the frosting will become too thin (due to the cream cheese). 

  5. Frosting will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature and beat on low speed 

Assemble the Buttermilk Birthday Cake:
  1. Place one of the cake layers, top up, on a cake board or plate (reserve the "sharpest" edged layer for the top). Using a small offset palette knife, spread 1 1/4 cups of the frosting top, extending slightly past the cake's edge. Sprinkle the layer of frosting with some of the sprinkles. Repeat these steps until you come to the final cake layer, which you will place bottom up. Using a straight palette knife, smooth the frosting protruding from the layers on the sides of the cake. Chill for 15 minutes.

  2. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, and apply a thin layer of frosting over the cake to seal in crumbs (known as the crumb coat). Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until the frosting is slightly set, about 15 minutes. 

  3. While the cake is chilling, scoop out about 2 cups of the remaining frosting and tint it very pastel turquoise (about 1 drop). Add the rest of the sprinkles to the remaning white frosting. Fit an 18" pastry bag with a large closed star tip (I use Ateco #887) and transfer the turquoise frosting to the bag. 

  4. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and apply a smooth, thick layer of the sprinkled frosting. Pipe a border around the top perimeter. 

  5. The cake will keep at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, but serve at room temperature if possible. 

Sweetapolita's Notes
  • I used Swans Down Cake Flour for this cake, which I bought when I was in the USA last. While Canada is known for the best flour products, I have to say that this stuff is top notch!
  • For the cake pans, I use these Fat Daddio's 8-inch x 2-inch round pans. It's so handy to have 3!
  • For the the vanilla bean paste, I used Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste. For pure vanilla extract, I always use Nielsen Massey Bourbon Vanilla Extract. 
  • When frosting a cake, I always use this Ateco turntable, offset icing spatula and straight icing spatula. 
  • For the sprinkles, I used Sweetapolita "Sugar Cookie" Sprinkle Medley, but you can use any sprinkles you love! I just recommend you use jimmies and coated chips, as they work so well in the frosting. 
  • You can make and keep this cake assembled for a day before you serve. You can keep it at a cool room temperature, or in the fridge, but just make sure it's room temperature when you serve it.
  • The cake stand in this post is one of my favourites! It's a pink Mosser 9" round cake stand. Has such a classic, vintage vibe. 

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Filed Under: Frostings & Fillings, Layer Cakes, RECIPES, Vanilla Layer Cakes Tagged With: best, birthday, buttermilk, cake, chip, cream cheese, frosting, layer, milk bar, momofuko, rainbow chip, sprinkles, swans down, vanilla, white

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Comments

  1. Alba says

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    If I had to describe “Sweetapolita” with a cake, this would be it!
    I can tell just by looking at the pictures how buttery and soft the cake layers are! And that frosting looks heavenly!
    When I was little, my birthday cakes (made by my grandmother) consisted in two (wide and tall) layers of chocolate cake, filled and covered with some kind of chocolate ganache (made with condensed milk instead of heavy cream) and lots and lots of sprinkles, and I can tell that it is the best cake I’ve ever tasted.
    But vanilla cakes are for sure a win-win for any celebration! In fact, the first proper layer cake I made (back in 2011) was a vanilla cake from your blog, and honestly, after that, I’ver never tasted a vanilla cake just like it.
    So I think it’s time to make and try another vanilla cake recipe! Will this be my next favourite? I’ll let you know! Have a good week, Rosie! xo
    P.S. I’ve finally finished my exams (just 1 more year until I’m a graduated doctor!), so now I have time to bake and keeping up with your blog! ;)

    Reply
  2. Danielle says

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    Looks amazing! Does this cake go well with swiss meringue buttercream??

    Reply
  3. Tasha | Ink & Sugar says

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    Hello! I’m curious about the mixing time, 5 minutes for the first portion of wet ingredients seems like a long mixing time. Any thoughts on if I made this recipe mixing the first portion until “just combined”? (Which I often do for my cakes). If not I’ll just follow the instructions as is ????

    Reply
  4. Natalie says

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    Such a stunning cake! Perfect for birthdays!

    Reply
    • Rosie @ Sweetapolita says

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      Thanks so much, Natalie! xo

      Reply
  5. Sarah MacFarlane says

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    Amazing recipe as always, Rosie! Baked up beautifully in 4″ pans and I used the remaining batter for cupcakes – delicious! <3

    Reply
  6. Patty K says

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    I don’t know. It’s going to be pretty hard to top your super duper vanilla cupcakes – they’re my go-to vanilla cake recipe! :)

    Reply
  7. Bayti says

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    Hi!! I want to try to make this cake. But have a question. Is the superfine sugar same as the granulated sugar? Or powdered sugar? Can I substitute it with regular granulated sugar?

    Reply
    • Rosie @ Sweetapolita says

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      Hi Bayti! Superfine sugar is just regular granulated white sugar that has a finer grain—it’s not critical for the recipe (you can use regular granulated white sugar), but it does make for an even finer crumb. I’m not sure where you’re located, but in Canada and the USA we can purchase it as “superfine,” but it’s more cost-effective to even pop regular sugar in a food processor for a minute or so.

      Reply
      • Bayti says

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        I see! Thank you so much for replying back to me so quickly. I’m located in US and it seems it’s not that easy to find superfine sugar in the markets. I will definitely grind my own superfine sugar. Thank you!

        Reply
  8. Neya says

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    What kind of butter do you use for your frostings?

    Reply
  9. Kris says

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    So so so love your sprinkles! I have many different varieties! ???? And really everything you do! I was just wondering if there was anything you would change to make these into cupcakes?

    Reply
  10. Adrienne says

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    Thanks for posting this gem of a recipe! It was just in time for my aunt’s birthday. Everyone really enjoyed the flavor and texture of the cake. (that almond extract really adds that special something)

    Reply
  11. Melissa says

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    Ohh looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  12. Claire says

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    I made this recipe at the weekend and LOVED it! Such a tender crumb and amazing flavor. Loved the frosting too. <3

    Reply
  13. Ivy Thompson says

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    I’m going to try this recipe! I wonder if I can switch out the Swan’s for Gluten free flour. I usually have luck doing that. Happy birthday!!! I’m obsessed with you and your sprinkles!!!!

    Reply
  14. Emma says

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    This cake is adorable! My sister has a birthday coming up and I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try. Anything with Sweetapolita sprinkles involved is a winner!

    Reply
  15. Shannon says

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    Ohhh… can’t wait to try it for my daughter’s upcoming birthday! My kids are obsessed with Sugar rush and Nailed It!, on Netflix, so we may end up trying it out sooner ;)

    Reply
  16. Brooke Hanson says

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    This cake looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try and make it :)

    Reply
  17. K wasy says

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    This cake is delicious!! I would recommend doubling the icing recipe… I got barely enough to do the crumb coat :(

    Reply
  18. Sam says

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    My mouth is watering!! I must make this soon!!

    Reply
  19. Rebecca Sylvester says

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    Sounds delicious!

    Reply
  20. Shweta says

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    Such a pretty cake. I always have buttermilk at home. Can’t wait to make it .

    Reply
  21. Debbie says

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    My grand daughter loves vanilla cake. Will be making this one it really looks delicious. Thank you for the post and Happy Happy Birthday you don’t look a day over 20. Hope you had a wonderful day.

    Reply
  22. Brenda Willson says

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    I loved the way this cake looked in the photo. I was a little skeptical of the cake recipe because of the long mixing time. I am an experienced baker, but never heard of this method of mixing in cold butter with dry ingredients for a cake. The cake turned out way too dense. I loved the icing recipe though!

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

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      I had the same problem of the cake being too dense as well. It was really disappointing to have spent all the money on those ingredients for the way that it turned out.

      Reply
      • Rosie @ Sweetapolita says

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        Hi Chelsea,
        I’m sorry to hear your cake was dense–this cake should be light and tender. I make this cake often, and the photos show an accurate visual of the texture. Did you happen to follow the instructions exactly?

        Reply
  23. Lauren says

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    So glad you are back to blogging! This cake looks amazing. I’ve made your funfetti cake 4 years in a row for my daughter’s birthday- may have to try this one:)

    Reply
  24. Brittany says

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    I’ve been looking for a good go to cake recipe! I’ll have to try this!

    Reply
  25. Sydney Nelson says

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    Saving this for my next cake!! The cake looks heavenly and that frosting sounds amazing!! I’m so excited about the birthday giveaway and would love to learn more about decorating techniques. I’m a beginner and want to expand my current abilities.

    Reply
  26. Julia Murphy says

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    Such a beautiful cake! I love the funfetti buttercream. : )

    Reply
  27. Erica W says

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    Can’t wait to try this!! ????

    Reply
  28. Maggie says

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    Since I can’t find Swansdown Cake flour in BC, do I use self rising cake flour or regular old Robin Hood cake flour?

    Reply
    • Rosie @ Sweetapolita says

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      Hi Maggie! You can use any brand of cake flour, absolutely! Just please don’t use self-rising (this already has the salt and baking powder added). Let me know if you have any other questions! xo

      Reply
  29. Jade says

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    Hi I was wonder what I could substitute for the corn syrup as we don’t have this in the UK.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

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      Hi Jade

      I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup written “baking” with a picture of a cupcake on the bottle. I got it from Sainsbury on the baking section.

      Reply
  30. Rachel says

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    Hi Rosie, this was a lovely cake as usual. Really enjoyed by everyone. Mine was a little dense though, wonder where I went wrong!! I’ll definitely try to look for cake flour next time as I used SR flour. Very tasty nevertheless!! Thanks again.
    Love from England x

    Reply
  31. akashocd says

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    Wow, this cake recipe is so good and delicious, thank you for sharing your blog

    Reply
  32. Summer says

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    Hi, I followed the frosting recipie but my batch came out too runny. Any idea how I can prevent this in the future? It was delicious!

    Reply
  33. Cheryl Carnevale says

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    I have a Christening Party coming up, the cake & frosting recipe looks perfect & yummy. Will be making cupcakes for my party, can not wait to try your recipes, Thank you

    Reply
  34. Stephie Scat says

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    I have a question about number 4 (making the cake). When adding the egg mixture “gradually) in 3 additions, are you turning off the beater in between those pourings? I had some gluey streaks in the cake (shrunk a bit when I took out of the oven), and the only thing I can think of is that it was caused by beating too long (during that addition of the egg mixture), as I followed the rest exactly (using a timer, for the 5 minute instructions, and 2 minute instructions when the final addition is added). Can you tell me please how I am supposed to add that in 3 pourings, gradually, as I noticed the beater was running for quite some time by the time all was added in, and then adding another two minutes when finished with the addition of the egg mixture? I posted the cake on Instagram and tagged it with “Sweetapolita”. The cake was good, however, in some areas I had the gummy streaks. Thank you.

    Reply
  35. Margaret says

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    Why do you mix for 5min.? And add in cold butter that is not how I usually add butter,you cream the butter and sugar first….Help my crumb came out very dense and gummy,Can you please respond to my question Sweetapolita…Thanks

    Reply
    • Rosie @ Sweetapolita says

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      Hi there,
      This method is the two-stage method, and is different than the traditional creaming method. It yields a beautiful crumb and moist cake, but should not be dense and gummy. Did you happen to follow the other steps exactly? I do make this cake very often, and it is very consistent. Hope to help!

      Reply
  36. Sarah Jones says

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    Hello! I’m wondering if I can add sprinkles to the cake batter without ruining the cake or making it too dense? I loved that other cake with the malted chocolate frosting, seriously that frosting is hands down the best frosting I have ever tasted!

    Reply
  37. Sarah Jones says

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    Hello! I’m wondering if I can add sprinkles to the cake batter without ruining it?
    I just have to say that the malted chocolate frosting recipe is absolutely the best frosting I have ever tasted, so light! So perfectly sweet and smooth with the malt adding that wonderful depth to the chocolate ❤️ Heavenly ❤️

    Reply

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