Vanilla Layered Birthday Cake

Written By Lauren Something

Hi there! Today, I’m excited to share with you my absolute favorite vanilla birthday cake recipe. I’ve been using the amazing recipe from LifeLoveAndSugar as a base for years, adding some tweaks along the way to make it my own. Plus, I’ve found the perfect way to make this cake taste just as delicious when made lactose-free—without losing any of the flavor! Let me show you how!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you purchase from Amazon after clicking on one the product links below I will earn a small commission.

The Tweaks and Changes

I’ve started making changes through the years. First things first; I find that, the bigger the cake, the easier the decoration part. So I have doubled the original recipe, which means that this cakes is good for about 24-28 slices. I also prefer a more cake than frosting ratio, therefore I make less frosting and decorate with sugar fondant. I also swap out the milk and butter to lactose-free alternatives. My favorite milk substitute is the ‘this is not milk’ from Alpro. As for the butter I usally go with baking plant-based margerine from Solo or any other brand.

Note: please always check the labels of your ingredients if you’re dealing with allergies. Swapping out milk and butter will help for mild lactose-intolerance, not for allergies.

The Ingredients

Cake ingredients:

  • 650g all purpose flour (tip: sift the flour before putting it with the other ingredients to avoid clumps)

  • 5 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 336g butter (room temperature!)

  • 620g sugar

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract

  • 8 large eggs

  • 600ml milk or plant-based alternative

Frosting ingredients:

  • 675g butter (room temperature!)

  • 1380g powdered sugar (tip: sift the powdered sugar to avoid clumps)

  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract

  • 50ml milk or plant-based alternative

  • Salt, to taste

  • Frosting color (preferably in powder as to not mess with the consistency. In case you do use a liquid, adjust the ml milk you use for the frosting)

  • Colored fondant: sugar paste or marzipan

Recipe

For the cake:

  1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans (20cm) with parchment paper on the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

  2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

  3. Add the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

  4. Add the eggs, mixing until mostly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

  5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.

  6. Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined. The batter will look curdled, but that’s ok.

  7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Careful not to over mix the batter.

  8. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

  9. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

For the frosting:

  1. To make the frosting, beat the butter until smooth.

  2. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

  3. Add the vanilla extract, 4-5 tablespoons of milk, and salt and mix until smooth.

  4. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

  5. Now add some food coloring. and mix it through, be careful not to overmix here. If you want multiple colors put the frosting in different bowls before adding food coloring.

  6. Add additional water or milk, as needed to get the right consistency of frosting.

To assemble the cake:

  1. Wait until the cake has cooled down to put the cake together

  2. Use a large serrated knife to flatten out the cakes and make sure they’re completely flat.

  3. Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round.

  4. Spread one layer of frosting evenly on top of the cake.

  5. Add the second layer of cake and another layer of frosting.

  6. Top the cake with the remaining layer and frost the outside of the cake. Don’t use too much frosting, all you really need is a crumb coat.

To decorate the cake:

  1. Roll out the fondant: Dust your surface with powdered sugar. Roll fondant to about 3-4 mm thick, large enough to cover the cake (about 5 cm larger than the cake’s diameter).

  2. Roll the fondant onto the rolling pin to easily lift and unroll it over the cake.

  3. Drape the fondant over the cake. Smooth it with your hands or a smoother, starting from the top and working down the sides.

  4. Trim excess fondant around the base with a sharp knife, leaving a small border.

  5. Press the fondant gently at the base, don’t worry if it’s not looking perfect. You can always cover up with frosting and pretend it’s part of your decoration. 😉

Let the decoration games begin

Now that the hard work is done, let the fun begin; the decoration process. From dinosaurs and unicorns to classic roses and writing, let your creative juices flow. Still in need for some inspiration? Hop on over to Pinterest and allow yourself to be inspired. Store the cake in an air-tight container. Cake is best for 3-4 days.

With love,

Lauke ♥ 

Lauren Something