Frosted Vanilla Birthday Cake

This delicious and moist Vanilla Birthday Cake is topped with a creamy rich Mascarpone and cream frosting. A soft easy to make Homemade Vanilla Cake recipe.

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 2 cups flour all purpose or cake/pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt*
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs(room temperature)
• 1 cup milk (whole or 2%) room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups cream whipping, whole or heavy cream at least 30% fat content.
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1-2 tablespoons powdered/icing sugar
• food colouring if desired
• 3-5 ounces chocolate (dark or milk good quality chocolate)
• small cookie cutters

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Pre-heat oven to 350F(180C), lightly grease and flour two 8 inch (20 cm) cake pans.
2. 2--- FOR THE CAKE ---
3. 3In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. 4In a medium bowl at medium speed or with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, add the eggs and beat to combine well. Gradually add the dry ingredients, beating on low until combined.
5. 5Add the milk and vanilla and continue beating until combined. Divide the batter into the prepared pans.
6. 6Divide batter into the prepared pans. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick, when it comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached its done.
7. 7Remove cake from the freezer and let sit 30 minutes.
8. 8Let cool approximately 15 minutes in the pan then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cakes are completely cooled you could wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze overnight, this makes them easier to frost. This is what I did.
9. 9Remove cakes from the freezer and let sit 30 minutes before frosting.
10. 10--- FOR THE FROSTING ---
11. 11Meanwhile make the frosting, whip the cream until soft peaks appear, then add the Mascarpone and sugar, beat until thick, approximately 1 or 2 minutes.
12. 12--- PUTTING IT TOGETHER ---
13. 13Using an offset spatula and a cake turntable if you have them. With a sharp knife remove the tops of the cakes to form flat layers. Place one layer on your serving plate and top with 1/4 of the frosting, place the other layer on top and spread with the remaining frosting to cover the cake. Top with sprinkles and chocolate cut outs or decorate as desired. If not serving immediately refrigerate, remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
14. 14--- CHOCOLATE CUT OUTS ---
15. 15Melt chocolate over a pot of boiling water (make sure water does not touch bowl), pour chocolate into cookie molds, filling 3/4 full, refrigerate no more than 15-20 minutes, remove from fridge and gently push chocolate out of the molds with the tip of a wooden spoon, then gently push in the pointed end of lollipop stick (I used kabob sticks because they had pointed ends and then I coloured the stick with edible markers). Refrigerate until needed.