Sweet and Old Fashioned
Here’s a fun one. Who doesn’t love a homemade birthday cake? One that’s filled with love and good wishes especially made to celebrate their own special day! This is a happy, and nothing-but-cheerful, birthday wish in the form of sugar and spice and all things nice! Anyone who’s not completely committed to chocolate would love to dig into this cake. A beautiful, delicious and super moist, old fashioned, white cake filled with lemon curd is spectacular. Wrapped in delicious buttercream and topped from head to toe in rainbow sprinkles. It doesn’t matter if you’re 2 or 102, this cake will put a smile on every face!
You Can Bake This!
If you’re like me, sometimes baking a cake can be a little challenging. You really do have to follow the instructions, which at times, can be a strain for me. I’m more of an outside-the-lines-kinda-cook. I actually did have some problems with my first go around, but I’ve ironed out the kinks and I recommend you try this recipe if you’re looking for a delicious and fun birthday cake to make for someone you’d like to celebrate on their special day. Here’s how I did it!
The Recipe For A Happy Birthday!
Prepare your pans. It’s important that you line the cake pan bottoms with parchment. 1 used 2 9 x 2 inch pans. First, butter the pans, then cut out circles to fit the bottoms. (Or, did you know they actually sell pre-cut circles of parchment for baking!, I mean, what next?) Place the round parchment in the bottom, then butter again and lightly flour the pans, tap out the excess.
Preheat your oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients (the usual suspects), cake flour, baking powder, salt. Instead of buying premixed cake flour, I just mix it up myself. Add For each cup of cake flour, measure 1 cup flour, then remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Sift about 4-5 times and you’re good to go.
Now, in a separate bowl for your electric mixer, add the butter and let it whip, then slowly add the sugar. Once very light yellow, add the eggs, one at a time and let them mix until light and fluffy. Periodically, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix about 3 minutes. Add your vanilla or lemon extract. Let it mix another minute. Turn the mixer to slow and add 1/3 of the dry mix and then 1/3 milk, then alternate again two more times until combined. Do not over mix.
High and Light
In a new bowl, beat the egg whites. Start on slow and gradually increase the speed. Whip until glossy and stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. First start with about 1/4 of the egg whites and fold in. Then add 1/2 the remaining egg whites, fold in and then the final 1/2 of the egg whites. Divide the mixture into two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Watch the cakes carefully so that they do not over bake. They are done when the center is set and the tops are lightly browned. White cake does not have any extra moisture from egg yolks. They can get dry if you’re not careful in the baking process.
Remove cakes from the oven. Let them cool about 15 minutes then remove from the pans and allow to cool completely.
Mellow Yellow Lemony Goodness
Yes, I am a sucker for anything that’s lemon. This curd is perfect and easy to make. Whisk the egg yolks until light, then add the sugar and continue to whisk. Add the lemon juice zest and the sugar. Cook for a medium low flame, stirring constantly until the curd starts to thicken. You can tell if it’s ready by running your finger along the back of the spoon. If the trail stays and does not fill in, the mixture is ready to remove from the heat. Slowly add the butter, one piece at a time, mixing with each addition until all is dissolved. Top with plastic wrap directly over the surface and refrigerate until ready to fill the cake.
Birthdays Are For Buttercream!
Buttercream is the easiest frosting to make and it’s also the perfect birthday cake frosting. Especially if decorating with lots of cheerful, colorful sprinkles is what you’ve got up your sleeve. This is the perfect amount for this cake, as all you’re going to do is frost the outside. The filling is lemon curd. In the bowl of your electric mixer with the paddle attachment, add 1/2 cup softened, unsalted butter and start the mixer. Beat until light, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and slowly increase speed up to high. After 1 minute, add 1 tablespoon milk and mix another minute on medium high. Repeat until all the sugar has been mixed in. Add either vanilla and continue to mix another 2 minutes.
Filler Up
Once the cakes are completely cooled and the curd is chilled, it’s time to split and fill. Take each cake and trim the tops if necessary. You want the cakes to have a nice flat surface. For this cake, you want three filled layers. Cut each cake in half. I do this by using a very long serrated knife and keep them as even as possible.
Fill your pastry bag with about 1 1/2 cups of the buttercream. If you don’t have a pastry bag, use a large zip lock bag. Put the bag or pastry bag into a glass and fold the top over, this will help minimize any sticky mess. Fill the bag to about 1/2 full. Close the bag and snip the end corner.
Layer Cake
Put the first cake layer on the cake plate. Make a “Dam” of buttercream along the outside edge of the cake layer. This will help hold the curd in while decorating. You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups of the lemon curd for 3 layers. Just refrigerate the rest, I’m sure you can think of a few delicious things to do with leftover lemon curd, can’t you?
Now, using a large spoon, fill the inside with 1/3 of the curd filling. Do not over fill. Spread the curd up to the buttercream border. Using an off set spatula, even out the curd filling. Top with the next layer and repeat 2 times. Now, take it from me! Put this cake into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you continue with the icing. If it’s too warm, your cake may slide! It’s just always a good idea to be sure you’re working on a solid foundation. (See what happened to my first attempt!).
Once chilled, put a light layer of buttercream on the cake. This is the crumb coating. Once on, put the cake back into the fridge for 30 minutes. If you need a break, let it chill all night. Have a glass of wine, you deserve it. We amateur cake makers need a little break after such an ordeal!
Complete the decorating process with the rest of the buttercream. If you take the time to chill the cake instead of rushing to finish, the result will be very smooth and you won’t be trying to hide gobs of cake crumb from the finished look. Although, when you completely cover the cake with sprinkles, it’s amazing the kind of imperfections you can hide!
White Cake with Lemon Curd and Buttercream Icing
Notes
*Make your own cake flour. For each 1 cup of flour remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Mix well, then sift 4-5 times.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups cake flour plus a bit extra for the pans* (See note below for how to make your own cake flour at home)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (or vanilla)
- 1 cup milk
- 8 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon butter softened for the pans
For the Lemon Curd
- 8 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 stick (1/2 cup unsalted butter) cut into 8 pieces
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
- Optional: rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°. Prepare your pans. Butter 2, 9 x 2 inch cake pans. Cut circle of parchment for the bottoms of each pan, then put into the bottom of the pans. Butter the bottoms then lightly flour each pan, tap out any excess, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl of your electric mixer, add the butter and let it whip, then slowly add the sugar. Once very light, add the eggs, one at a time and let them mix until very light and fluffy. Periodically, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix about 3 minutes. Add your vanilla or lemon extract. Let it mix another minute. Turn the mixer to slow and add 1/3 of the dry mix and then 1/3 milk, then alternate again two more times until combined. Do not over mix.
- In a new bowl, beat the egg whites. Start on slow and gradually increase the speed. Whip until glossy and stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. First start with about 1/4 of the egg whites and fold in. Then add 1/2 the remaining egg whites, fold in and then the final 1/2 of the egg whites. Divide the mixture into two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Watch the cakes carefully so that they do not over bake. They are done when the center is set and the tops are lightly browned.
- Remove cakes from the oven. Let them cool about 15 minutes then remove from the pans and allow to cool completely.
For the Buttercream
- In the bowl of your electric mixer with the paddle attachment, add 1/2 cup softened, unsalted butter and start the mixer. Beat until light, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and slowly increase speed up to high. After 1 minute, add 1 tablespoon milk and mix another minute on medium high. Repeat until all the sugar has been mixed in. Add either vanilla or lemon extract and continue to mix another 2 minutes.
For the Lemon Curd Filling
- Add the lemon juice zest and the sugar. Cook for a medium low flame, stirring constantly until the curd starts to thicken. You can tell if it's ready by running your finger along the back of the spoon. If the trail stays and does not fill in, the mixture is ready to remove from the heat. Slowly add the butter, one piece at a time, mixing with each addition until all is dissolved. Top with plastic wrap directly over the surface and refrigerate until ready to fill the cake.
To Assemble, Fill and Decorate
- Once the cakes are completely cooled and the curd is chilled, it's time to split and fill. Take each cake and trim the tops if necessary. You want the cakes to have a nice flat surface. Cut each cake in half. Do this by using a very long serrated knife and keep them as even as possible.
- Fill your pastry bag with about 1 cup of the buttercream. If you don't have a pastry bag, use a large zip lock bag. Put the bag or pastry bag into a glass and fold the top over, this will help minimize mess. Fill the bag to about 1/2 full. Close the bag and snip the end corner. If using your pastry bag, use the coupling only.
- Put the first cake layer on the cake plate. Make a "Dam" of buttercream along the outside edge of the cake layer. This will help hold the curd in while decorating. Now, fill the inside with 1/3 of the curd filling. Do not over fill. Leave about 1 inch from the edge of the cake, which should be filled with the buttercream "dam" Using an off set spatula, even out the curd filling. Top with the next layer and repeat 2 times. Put the cake into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you continue with the icing.
- Once chilled, put a light layer of buttercream on the cake. This is the crumb coating. Once on, put the cake back into the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Complete the decorating process with the rest of the buttercream. Cover the sides and top of the cake with sprinkles. Put some candles on top and say Happy Birthday!
