Greetings on your birthday with this cake! It is one of my mother’s birthday cake recipes. It tastes amazing, and I adore it.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 25 mins |
| Total Time: | 55 mins |
| Servings: | 16 |
| Yield: | 1 (9-inch) 3-layer cake |
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, separated and divided, at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 pinches salt, divided
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8- or 9-inch-diameter cake pans.
- Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
- Sift flour, baking powder, and a pinch salt together into a bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for 1 more minute.
- Beat egg whites with a pinch salt in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into cake batter to lighten it; then gently fold in remaining egg whites. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cakes springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- You can use a 9×13-inch baking dish to make this cake. Follow the recipe as written and bake it for about 55 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 215 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 44 g |
| Cholesterol | 50 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Sodium | 125 mg |
| Sugars | 26 g |
| Fat | 2 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
It’s awesome and easy for learners. Thank you
I originally posted about this cake recipe about 12 years ago (see below) and i still use it to this day. It is my go to birthday cake recipe. I’m always asked for it. It comes out brilliantly. I’ve made it both ways using whole eggs and separating them and both ways turn out amazing not really any difference tbh! My only issue after seeing it online again is it says it serves 12 at these measurements but my original printed copy says these measurements serve 24. I use a large tin between A3 and A4 size and it bakes perfectly and serves a lot more than 12. I also use it for cupcakes and get at least 36 good size ones. Definitely try this, it’s yummy, not overly sweet, moist and fluffy but it is a slightly denser cake which is fine by some people myself included I know fluffy and dense contradict each other but it’s true lol. A+++ **Original review: I make cakes as a part time job and after finding this recipe a few years ago have never used anything else if asked for a vanilla sponge cake…its tasty, fluffy, cuts and shapes well and has ALWAYS had rave reviews. The only thing I have changed is that I use self raising flour as opposed to plain flour and baking powder and I reduce the heat slightly, other than that its to the letter.
Absolutely delicious cake. I have tried so many cake recipes over span of 40 years. This one is the keeper. Friends and family love it!
Thanks Carol! It is wonderful
I made it and it was SO good. I couldn’t wait for it to get out of the oven! I added a fourth cup more milk which made it moister!
This cake turned out wonderful. It is my family’s new favorite birthday cake. I followed recipe as is and everyone loved it. A very nice, moist cake. I paired it with Maple Butter Frosting (recipe from all recipes) and Maple Icing (recipe from all recipes). I used the frosting in between the cake layers and icing for the top of the cake. Fabulous combination. Thanks for sharing!
As I’ve seen in other comments, it was a heavier cake. I really wanted it to come out moist and not so dense. To achieve this, I added a pack of powdered vanilla pudding mix and an extra cup of milk. Also, I didn’t mix it any longer than was absolutely necessary to blend the ingredients. Then, I poured it into a 9×13 pan. I baked it low and slow by reducing the temperature to 300° and baked it for about an hour and a half. It came out golden brown on top and the butter knife came out clean. I used some dental floss to cut off the slightly rounded top, cooled it completely on my cooling rack, then turned it out into my cupcake container. It was heavy but not very dense and VERY moist! It was exceedingly tasty! I topped it with decorations I made of cream cheese frosting that I whipped and put into a plastic bag that I cut the tip off of one of the corners, some maraschino cherries and a dusting of powdered sugar. It was beautiful and my 34 year old son just loved it for his birthday! I WILL make this cake again! Thanks!!!
Wow this amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made it for my daughters 5 birthday and it was hit I was even asked for the recipe
I might try it again. I had to cook it longer than it asked for and it still wasn’t done.
My kids loved it!
It was really good. Made it for my nieces birthday. Gone in no time the chocolate ice went perfect with it!
I followed the directions to the tee, came out a bit dry and not very sweet. Luckily, the frosting I made was super sweet and balanced out the cake.
This was very good! I didn’t bother with whipping the whites. If you want to save on time I really don’t find it a pertinent step. I ended up with a cake that was soft but held shape for pan removal and decorating. It wasnt as dense as shown in the photo. You should really try it!
Smells and probably will taste great but it really doesn’t fill-up a 9×13 pan very well, even with it rising to double height. I bake a lot and was super-accurate following the quantities and directions. Also, the stated cooking time (25 mins) was way too long and my oven is calibrated.
no changes and yes I would make it again
I used this recipe to make a tandy cake for my 3 grandkids. While I wouldn’t say I am a professional baker, I have made cakes that have sold for hundreds of dollars. I am always looking to try new recipes but this one was so bad, my grandkids wouldn’t eat it. It was very dense, dry and flavorless….at least to my standards. I would not make again.
It is a good recipe, as well easy to make.. My adjustment, add an extra half cup of milk to avoid its hardness… Also decrease amount of sugar to half because the current value is sugary to me… In addition to that…after I finish the mix process and just after adding the egg white I add a dry fruit… Overall… It is easy good cake to make
I accidentally doubled the butter and the batter looked more like dough, but I went ahead and baked it anyway and I’m glad I did because it was still delicious! It’s a bit crumbly but still moist. I can’t wait to try it again properly lol
Easy to make. Came out good!
Very good vanilla cake. Layered nicely and nice and moist. Will definitely use this as my go to b’day cakes