Using a long serrated knife, trim off the top dome and any bumps from each cake, creating a flat surface. One piece of this homemade carrot cake is never enough—better than all the other carrot cakes recipes I've tried!—Kim Orr, West Grove, PennsylvaniaGet RecipeTaste of HomeRainbow Cake with CloudsSome cakes stand on their own without icing. Now that your pans are prepped, mix the dry ingredients for your cake together. You’ll really taste it. A kitchen scale is the most accurate way to do this, though. This helps contain the crumbs and gives you a good base for spreading on pretty frosting swirls. Then, using an electric mixer on medium speed, combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl. This recipe makes 2 (9-inch) cakes! Ad Choices. If you want to go even more over the top with this confetti cake, transform it into a four-layer beauty complete with drip decoration. You are welcome to use 8 inch pans, you will just have some batter left over and be sure to keep an eye on the cooking time- as it may not be as long. I found this recipe when looking for a special cake to make my chocolate-loving daughter-in-law's birthday. © 2020 Condé Nast. This cake is exceptionally fluffy and moist all at the same time—exactly what you want from a good birthday cake. It’s truly fantastic! Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. We’ll show you how to make our favorite version (plus a few fun twists). Courtney is a prolific cake baker—you can follow along with her on her blog Cake by Courtney. Start by combining the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Start this cake by beating together the softened butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy—about six minutes. —Trisha Kammers, Clarkston, WashingtonGet RecipeTaste of HomeSour Cream Chocolate CakeImpressive to look at but easy to make, this cake is a good old-fashioned "Sunday supper" dessert that melts in your mouth. Lemon juice and lemonade give the layers a tangy touch, and the cream cheese frosting with sprinkles makes it pretty. Clean bowl of stand mixer. And while vanilla frosting may be the traditional accompaniment to a confetti cake, this light chocolate buttercream is a welcome twist (and it’s so good that you might make it your go-to frosting recipe). Reduce your mixer speed to low and add a third of the flour mixture. Press your frosting outward toward the edges as you frost the first layer. Mom revamped the original recipe to include lemons. Whisk the flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. This step is necessary because, since cakes tend to dome up in the oven as they rise, it ensures that you'll have even layers when you stack the cake. This may seem like a fussy step. Then, for the drip decoration, make a basic ganache. In a large bowl, stir together brown sugar, peanut butter, and oil until combined and creamy. Now place your cake in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to let it chill before putting the remainder of the frosting on the cake. Creaming takes about three to five minutes at me… I would say it was one of the best tasting cakes I have ever made.! Epicurious may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. (Yes, six! Vary the color to match the occasion. (We want this cake to look clean, not sloppy!) “It’s the quintessential birthday cake. This first step is an important one that should not be overlooked. Our Test Kitchen’s favorite from-scratch birthday cake comes to us from Courtney Rich of Highland, Utah. In medium sized bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt with a spoon. You can do this with a kitchen scale, using measuring cups or just eyeball it. Place a leveled cake layer top side-down in the center of the platter. … I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. We made cupcakes and then used a chocolate fudge icing. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/20) and Your California Privacy Rights. —Lauren Knoelke, Des Moines, IowaGet RecipeTaste of HomeHomemade Confetti CakeThis is a moist and fluffy vanilla cake with lots of sprinkles and a whipped vanilla buttercream. Homemade from-scratch birthday cake is the best gift out there. A great confetti cake is celebratory (thanks to all the sprinkles stirred into the batter), light, fluffy and has friends asking for a second slice. Keep going like this until you've added all of the dry ingredients and milk mixture. —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, PennsylvaniaGet RecipeButter Pecan Layer CakePecans and butter give this cake the same irresistible flavor as the popular butter pecan ice cream flavor. — Karen Berner, New Canaan, ConnecticutGet RecipeTaste of HomeBrooklyn Blackout CakeIf you love chocolate, you will LOVE this birthday cake recipe. Lightly coat your cake pans with nonstick spray or butter. With the rich frosting, it makes a decadent treat! From chocolate or white cake to lemon and carrot cake, you'll find dozens of the best birthday cake recipes, just waiting to be decorated. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. To revisit this article, select My Account, then View saved stories. Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Use a measuring cup if you’d like to make sure the frosting layers look even once you slice. Mix Your Wet Ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup whole milk and 1 tablespoon … Gently fold half of egg whites into batter. —Anna Hogge, Yorktown, VirginiaGet RecipeTaste of HomeOld-Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese FrostingA pleasingly moist cake, this treat is the one I requested that my mom make each year for my birthday. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. - Courtney Rich, Highland, UTGet RecipeTaste of HomeYummy Chocolate CakeMy husband and I are trying to eat lighter but still crave sweets. But for us, it's yellow cake and chocolate frosting all the way. Fold in remaining egg whites. Making a homemade birthday cake is a great project for bakers of all skill levels and you’ll be wowed at how amazing it tastes—it’s definitely worth skipping the box. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, WisconsinGet RecipeApple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar FrostingI am a healthy eater most of the time, but this apple spice cake is worth the splurge! Let this mix cool to room temperature. While your cakes are cooling, make your frosting. And you can do that—here are 19 birthday cake recipes the run the gamut. —Janet Gill, Canton, OhioGet RecipeTaste of HomeDecadent Fudge CakeEveryone loves the rich flavor in this decadent cake made with four types of chocolate. Homemade from-scratch birthday cake is the best gift out there. Add in the whole eggs, then the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each. Learn how your comment data is processed. She pours this love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup whole milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. The fluffy buttery frosting is scrumptious with chopped walnuts stirred in. Top your cakes off with some of our best frosting recipes, here. I made this fun and flavorful peanut butter and jelly cake for my son's first birthday. —Courtney Rich, Highland, UtahGet RecipeTaste of HomeChocolate-Dipped Ice Cream Cone CupcakesI created this recipe based on our family's love of chocolate-dipped ice cream cones. The sweet cream of coconut and tart lemon juice make a delicious combo, and the streusel adds a nice crunch. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. —Jennifer Owen, Louisville, KentuckyGet RecipeTaste of HomeMoist Chocolate CakeThis chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. When you’re looking for a fun and delicious homemade birthday cake, there’s really only one option: confetti cake. Here are four simple yet impressive cakes worthy of their own celebration. Here's how to make that birthday pie: Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. Since I spent time writing this birthday tutorial, and my coworker Kat Sacks developed this amazing cake recipe, be sure to invite us to your party! Next, carefully place the second cake layer, top side-down, on the first layer, gently pressing down to secure. This should take 30–35 minutes. Beat 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl until it's smooth (about 30 seconds). —Becky Miller, Tallahassee, FloridaGet RecipeTaste of HomeCoconut-Lemon Ice Cream CakeMy family loves this lemon ice cream cake anytime, but it's especially refreshing on a hot summer day. This cake isn’t just delicious, it’s also extremely versatile. Add in the vanilla, salt and cooled chocolate mix and continue beating for another five minutes or so—until the frosting is light and fluffy (or until you can’t resist sampling a spoonful). Do not over mix. Spread a tablespoon of the frosting in the center of a platter or cake stand—this will help keep your cake stable. After your crumb coat, chill your cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for ten. It’s exactly the kind of cake you want to bake up for a birthday party (or enjoy on your big day). “The less you play with it the better.”. Have no fear! Sift almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, Xanthan gum, salt, and 3/4 cup powdered erythritol in a large bowl. It's almost impossible not to feel happy when you see the fun pop of rainbow confetti! In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a dash of salt until stiff peaks form. It will come back together when you incorporate the dry ingredients in the next step. —Janet Tigchelaar, Jerseyville, OntarioGet RecipeTaste of HomeLemon Chiffon CakeThis moist, airy lemon chiffon cake was my dad's favorite.