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Nothing screams nostalgia more to me than a classic birthday cake. A fluffy, airy yellow cake topped with lots of pillowy chocolate frosting. It’s the cake that reminds me of birthdays. It’s that familiar box cake situation moms all over America would bake in a glass casserole dish for any occasion. Likely it was topped with chocolate store bought icing, but when that frosting was made from scratch, you knew it was a special occasion. My classic birthday cake is a scratch made version of that nostalgic cake. My fluffy, tender buttermilk cake is topped with a rich and custardy chocolate French buttercream. Even better than the classic.
Buttermilk Cake
This buttermilk cake is my go-to “yellow” cake. Buttermilk is a natural tenderizer making the cake moist, soft and fluffy, all while lending a slight tangy buttermilk flavor. Vanilla takes the main stage for the flavor of this cake, so be sure to use real vanilla and not imitation vanilla. Though, if you’re looking for that box cake flavor, imitation will work to help replicate that flavor.
The texture of this cake is dreamy, with a tight crumb, that is sturdy enough for stacking and splitting, but is also delicate and melt in your mouth. A true powerhouse cake. I bake this cake in an 8×8 pan, though you can also bake it in a 9×9 pan. This recipe can be doubled for a 9×13 pan, or 3-8″ pans. I don’t recommend using this recipe for cupcakes as it is mean to bake up flat. Check out this recipe for birthday cupcakes.
Chocolate French Buttercream
I could sit here and type all of the ways that I love French buttercream, but I’ve done that already over on my post about all about French buttercream. French buttercream is silky, luxurious, and custardy. And the chocolate version? My favorite way to use French buttercream. It’s airy and light like a mousse, but silky and creamy like a pudding. It’s ridiculously good.
I like to slather the top of the cake with lots of buttercream and top with an assortment of sprinkles. Store the cake at room temperature for a day, but because the buttercream has egg yolks in it, it has to be refrigerated any time after. Store, wrapped well, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. But really, it’s so good, you’re not likely to have leftovers.
If you make my classic birthday cake, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.
Enjoy!
Ash xx
For more cake recipes, check out these posts:
Blood Orange Olive Oil Pistachio Bundt Cake
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cake with Bourbon Dulce de Leche Buttercream
Grapefruit Poppyseed Loaf Cake
Champagne Strawberry Truffle Cake
Classic Birthday Cake
Ingredients
Buttermilk Cake
- 7 ounces cake flour
- 7 ounces granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1.5 ounces canola oil
- 6 ounces buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chocolate French Buttercream
- ½ batch French Buttercream
- ⅓ cup bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
- sprinkles (always optional but always recommended)
Instructions
Buttermilk Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Prepare the cake pan. You can use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan. Brush the bottom sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, mix for 1 minute to combine.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the egg whites, oil and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low-medium speed, add in the softened butter pieces, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
- With the mixer still on low, pour in the buttermilk and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
- Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and beat for *2-3 full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped, thick, and lighter in color.
- Stop the mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
- Turn the mixer speed on low, add the remaining buttermilk and egg white mixture in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
- Once all the wet ingredients have been incorporated, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes. Start checking the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched.
- Tap the cake pan firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cake domes at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the dome down. Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the pan.
- Run a palette or butter knife around the cake in their pan before turning it out to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Chocolate French Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the prepared buttercream and room temperature melted chocolate.
- Beat on low until well combined, silky and creamy.
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