Charming Vanilla Birthday Cake

Just a simple recipe for a very charming yet rather uncomplicated birthday cake.

This easy Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Frosting is so simple to make. For that rustic and pretty look, do make sure to decorate the cooled cake with some of that delicious, and equally easy to prepare, vanilla frosting and some pretty seasonal fruits and berries.

Nothing more needed to make me happy on my birthday. Nothing.

Ingredients for the Cake

For the Cake

• ½ stick plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, plus some for greasing the baking pan
• 1 ¼ cups wheat (plain) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp  baking soda
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• ½ cup superfine baking sugar (caster sugar)
• seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp pure vanilla paste
• 2 eggs (M), free range or organic please
• 250 ml buttermilk, room temperature

Preparation of the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
2. With a brush, lightly grease a 10-inch (26 cm) round baking pan or springform pan. Then line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, sugar and vanilla seeds (or paste) until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until combined.
6. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with 2 batches of buttermilk. Beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
8. Bake until cake is light golden and a cake tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
9. Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack to cool for ten minutes, remove baking pan and leave the cake on the wire rack until cooled completely.
10. Meanwhile, make the frosting. NOTE: Be sure to let the cake cool completely before you frost it.

Ingredients for the Vanilla Frosting

• 4 tbsps unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tbsps milk (I use 3.5 %), room temperature
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preparation of the Frosting

1. In a small bowl, beat butter with electric beaters for a few seconds until pale. 
2. Gradually add the confectioners´ sugar, a spoonful at a time, alternating with the milk.  
3. Keep beating until mixture is pale and creamy. 
4. Beat in salt and the vanilla extract. NOTE: The frosting will keep in the fridge for one week. Bring back to room temperature and beat well before using.

This is a moist cake with lots of natural vanilla flavor. The buttermilk in the batter adds a bit of tang and certainly makes sure that this cake does not turn out too dry. Just right. And all that vanilla adds a wonderful warm and sweet vanilla flavor.

Use the recipe as the basis for a range of fabulous celebration cakes, it is easily adaptable. For ideas on how to decorate the cake and to try out some variations on how to decorate this basic cake, have a look in your pantry, at mother nature or the farmers`market.

Enjoy this Charming Vanilla Birthday Cake - whether it is a special day or just because!

And remember that it certainly does not matter whether your cake is a flawless masterpiece or something more friendly and wobbly at the edges. What matters is the offering of something you made simply for the pleasure involved.

"It is a sad kitchen that can’t be used purely for fun sometimes."