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This is the best Birthday Cake recipe! It’s the classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting recipe that just screams birthday – and it’s my favorite one. I’ve been making this cake for years – and I know you’re going to love it too. Especially with those sprinkles!
I am a huge sucker for a yellow cake with sprinkles and chocolate frosting. I have to admit: chocolate cake isn’t really my thing but yellow cake with chocolate frosting? Now THAT is a cake I can get behind.
I’ve made this cake for my birthday a few times and it’s always a huge hit. Everyone loves a Funfetti Cake and this is even better topped with my best chocolate frosting. The rich buttery flavor of the vanilla cake recipe mixed with the richness of the frosting is epic – you’ll never buy a box cake mix again.
If you’re looking for a bright and cheerful way to make the BEST birthday cake recipe – look no further.
Cake Ingredients Needed
- You need all the regular cake making ingredients: eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, and baking powder. Since this is a yellow cake recipe we can use whole eggs!
- Melted Butter – I find that using melted butter keeps the cake more moist than if you cream softened butter with the sugar. Using melted butter also means that you can easily substitute oil.
- Buttermilk – I use buttermilk in my cakes because I find it makes them airy and moist. If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own!
- I made my yellow cake recipe into birthday cake by adding SPRINKLES! You can use any colors you like, but I love basic rainbow jimmies. Be sure to use a quality sprinkle (a name brand, like Cake Mate or Wilton) instead of cheap ones. Cheaper sprinkles have more of a tendency to melt when mixed into batter (so skip those dollar store sprinkles for baked goods!)
How to bake the perfect Birthday Cake
1. I always start my cake with melted butter – it keeps it nice and moist. Stir the butter and sugar together – you can do it by hand or with an electric mixer.
2. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the cake batter alternately with the buttermilk.
4. Mix until nice and smooth then stir in your sprinkles and pour into your desired pans.
Chocolate Frosting for Layer Cake
Now any frosting goes great with birthday cake, but especially chocolate frosting! This is my favorite chocolate buttercream that’s super simple.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa may be used.
- Heavy Whipping Cream is my secret ingredient – it makes a super fluffy frosting!
1. First mix the butter and cocoa until smooth then slowly mix in the powdered sugar.
2. Slowly add in your heavy cream until you get a fluffy frosting that is spreadable.
Frosting Layer Cake Tips
- I chill the cakes before frosting them, to help them hold up and not crumble.
- Level the cakes as needed with a large serrated knife.
- Place the first layer on your cake plate and top with a thin layer of frosting. Add the second layer and repeat, then top with the third layer.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake – that is called a “crumb coat”. Let it set, then use the remaining frosting to make a pretty crumb-free layer.
- If you want to do some pretty piping, I suggest a 1M tip for stars or rosettes. Top with sprinkles!
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Whisk the dry ingredients separately so you can add them together to the wet ingredients.
- Make sure your eggs are room temperature.
- Mix in the eggs one at at time, and mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
- Only mix until the flour just disappears – don’t over mix!
- Fold in the sprinkles so they don’t fall to the bottom of the cake.
Classic Birthday Cake Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (296) ml buttermilk
- 1 cup rainbow sprinkles
For the frosting:
- 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 ⅓ cups (486g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons (15-45ml) heavy whipping cream
- More sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour cake pan(s). I like to line the bottom of my pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Whisk salt, baking powder, and flour in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
- Cream sugar into melted butter until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract. You can stir by hand or use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing gently between each addition. Mix until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake as directed. Cool completely before removing and frosting.
- Bake Time: 24 cupcakes: 14-17 minutes // Two 9-inch round pans: 24-27 minutes // Two 8-inch round pans: 25-33 minutes // 9×13-inch pan: 30-40 minutes
For the frosting:
- Beat butter until smooth with a hand or a stand mixer. Note: if you’re using a hand mixer be sure to use a very large bowl to avoid wearing the powdered sugar.
- Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, along with cocoa, and beat on medium speed until crumbly. Mix in salt and vanilla.
- Add 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream at a time, mixing between each addition, until the frosting is smooth and the desirable consistency.
- Frost cake or cupcakes as desired and add lots of sprinkles.
Recipe Notes
- You can use a 9×13-inch pan, two 8-inch or 9-inch rounds, or make 24 cupcakes.
- Store cake loosely covered on the counter – store in the fridge and it will last longer but serve it room temperature.
- Cakes and frosting can be frozen separately and the cake can be assembled later after thawing. I’ve also frozen slices of finished cake!
I used two 9-inch rounds, and it took about double the time indicated in the recipe
That is good to know – do other things take longer to bake or was it just this one?
So far only this recipe! Once it was done, it was a great cake though!
It really tasted like cornbread I don’t know where I went wrong?!?
How long did you bake it? Did you pack your flour or make any substitutions?
I packed the flour, leveled the measuring cup, and sifted. Baking time was about 24-25 minutes. The cake pulled away from the edges and when poked came out clean.
Cake tasted like cornbread?!?
I’m sorry that happened! Did you over bake it?
When do you add cocoa to frosting mixture? Not listed in your instructions?? (For confetti birthday cake)
It’s added with the powdered sugar
Love your recipes.
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