How to Bake a Birthday Cake from Scratch

Learn to make a homemade birthday cake with simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps that create delicious family memories.

1. Gather Your Ingredients and Tools. For a basic vanilla birthday cake, you'll need: 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1¾ cups sugar, ¾ cup butter (softened), 1½ cups milk, 3½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 large eggs. For tools, gather two 9-inch round cake pans, measuring cups and spoons, a large mixing bowl, an electric mixer (hand or stand), a rubber spatula, and cooling racks. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your cake pans with butter, then dust lightly with flour.
2. Mix the Cake Batter. In your large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together using your electric mixer for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined - don't overbeat, as this can make your cake tough.
3. Bake the Cake Layers. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. A kitchen scale helps here, but you can also eyeball it. Gently tap the pans on the counter to release air bubbles, then bake for 25-30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
4. Make Simple Buttercream Frosting. While your cakes cool, make frosting by beating 1 cup softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat for 3-4 minutes until smooth and spreadable. Add food coloring if desired, or divide the frosting to make different colors for decorating.
5. Assemble and Decorate Your Cake. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread about ⅓ of the frosting evenly on top, leaving a small border around the edges. Place the second layer on top and gently press down. Apply a thin 'crumb coat' of frosting all over the cake to seal in crumbs, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Apply the remaining frosting in a thicker layer, using an offset spatula to smooth the sides and top. Add sprinkles, candles, or other decorations as desired.