Kate's birthday!

Kate was born right in the middle of the hottest month of the year, so every birthday has involved some kind of splashing in water! This year, her birthday celebration was about inaugurating/christening? the new swimming pool in the back yard! We had a great time. Jason cooked burgers and hot dogs. And my worries about the cake were all for nought!

Sorry, Heidi. No cake for you!

I think somebody stuck their finger in the side of the cake!

Kate with her Daddy

Money tree with somebelly photobombing!

Self-explanatory ;-)

The few pics I have are from Kate's Nana as my phone went dead when I tried to take a picture. This is happening constantly, so I guess I'm going to have to get that taken care of. DH's recliner broke,  the trunk back door of the Sequoia is also broken (that was fixed a couple of months ago, but guess Toyota didn't do such a great job.) Boo-hoo! It's always something, right?

Here is the recipe for the delicious birthday cake. My friend Alice came over to help decorate the cake. I would have been fine with just candles, but she wanted to help. We were both disappointed with the outcome on that, but too late! Once the decorations are on, there's no taking them off. Did anybody at the party care? Nope! Not a crumb left. And even better, Kate LOVED the cake and that I made it for her! All her hugs and kind words made the efforts worthwhile.

The recipe is from this website! I made the cake 3 layers in 9 inch pans, used real butter and butter flavored Crisco for the shortening, used whole milk and buttermilk, and real vanilla.

4.53 from 17 votes

Super-Moist Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

When you're baking this super-moist, delicious cake, the whole house smells incredibly delicious with vanilla cake intoxication! Perfect for all your celebrations and holidays!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, baking

Keyword: 2 layer, 3 layer, baking, banana, cake, vanilla frosting

Servings: 12 Servings

Author: Kim Lange

Ingredients

Super-Moist Vanilla Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening , softened
• 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs , room temp
• 1 cup buttermilk or milk of choice or use 1/2 buttermilk - 1/2 whole milk combo , room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1½ cups unsalted butter , softened
• 5-6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 - 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350º F.
• Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour the pans, taking care to remove all excess flour. Adjust time for other pan conversions (see conversion chart below recipe if you want to bake other sizes and have leftover batter in some cases, make cupcakes!)
• In a medium-sized bowl. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
• Using a mixer, in another bowl, cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy, approx 3-5 minutes.
• Gradually add sugar one cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Then start adding each egg one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another, but gently incorporate in, don't over beat.
• Pour milk (s) and vanilla into measuring cup and whisk together until mixed.
• Add creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture and the dry mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
• Gently stir all ingredients until combined, getting all ingredients from side of mixing bowl mixed in as well, but do not over-mix! 
• Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans and place pans into oven.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Note: Don't be tempted to keep opening the oven door a lot while the cake is baking as the oven temperature drops each time the door is opened.Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool cake layers completely on a wire rack. Note: Leaving cake in cake pans too long could make the cakes stick to the pan and hard to remove because of the moisture that builds up in the pan while it cools.
• Frost cake as desired.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Using mixer on a medium setting, cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
• Add confectioner's sugar, ½ a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
• Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until well-incorporated.
• Add heavy cream until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency.
• For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner's sugar, a ¼ cup at a time.
• For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time.

Notes

Adapted from Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

Notes:

-Best to cream the butter shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Don't over beat when adding eggs and other ingredients, just mix gently until incorporated well into batter. 

-This recipe makes approximately 24 cupcakes when cupcake tin is filled more than ¾ full.

-When filled ½ full, this recipe makes approximately 36 cupcakes.

-Bake approximately 18 minutes.

For other pan conversions, don't overfill your pans, whether you use, 6 in, 8 in or 9 inch pans and accommodate your baking time accordingly.  Below is a conversion chart with baking times to help out.