Perfect Birthday CakeFree Recipes and Cake Ideas!The perfect birthday cake is fragrant! The perfect cake is moist, firm enough to decorate, and most importantly, in the honoree's favorite flavor.
Discuss with the honoree the flavor of the cake, the frosting and some of the details. The cake planning adds excitement to his or her special day! Read these birthday cake descriptions and see our FREE recipes to help with your decision on the flavor of the cake. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
White CakeToday the traditional birthday cake is a white layer cake with a rich, vanilla frosting. The cake is made with only the egg whites and is light and airy. If you plan to use the www.perfect-birthday.com FREE WHITE CAKE RECIPE to make the cake yourself, be sure to mix some of the milk with the egg whites before whisking the whites. This step makes the fine grain of the cake consistent throughout and eliminates the large airy holes that may happen in whisked egg white recipes. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Red Velvet CakeThis unusual cake is a perfect birthday cake for birthdays from Christmas through February - and the Fourth of July!!! The color of the Red Velvet Cake comes from the blending of cocoa with red food coloring. The cocoa flavor is subdued with a small amount of vanilla extract. For females decorate with red, cherry pink or pale pink decorations, candies and candles. For males decorate with chopped or slivered nuts, chocolate bits and white candles. This Red Velvet Cake would be wonderful in many shapes: heart, fire engine, race car, ladybug, or checkerboard. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Click here for FREE Red Velvet Cake Recipe!!!
Carrot CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe is a spice cake with grated carrots mixed into the batter.
The Carrot Cake is very versatile and may be baked in many shapes. A bundt pan makes a very special presentation for this cake. Carrot Cake may be baked as a sheet cake, a layer cake, and cupcakes. Carrot Cake may be enhanced with special birthday requests, such as added raisins, nuts, ginger, oranges and pineapple. If you are making the Carrot Cake yourself, remember to increase the cooking time for bundt pans and to decrease the cooking time for cupcakes. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake! The carrot birthday cake recipe will make one 9x13 sheet cake. As the cake bakes the carrots soften giving the cake a moist and dense texture. The traditional sweet spice cake is perked up by the flavor and texture of the carrots. If you decide to make it as a two-layer cake or as cupcakes, the cooking time is about 30 minutes. If you use a bundt pan, the cooking time is about 55 minutes. Always check the cake about 5 to 10 minutes before the cooking time ends to determine if the cake is done. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray cake pan with vegetable spray and line with parchment paper. If using a bundt pan, do not line it with parchment paper. Adjust oven rack to middle. The carrot birthday cake takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Whisk 2½ cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1¼ teaspoons of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of ground clove, 1¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl together.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, ½ cup of light brown sugar, 1½ cups of granulated sugar until sugar is almost dissolved in the egg mixture. Slowly add in as you whisk 1½ cups of vegetable oil. Stir in one pound of peeled and grated carrots. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the cake in the center of the oven and bake until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs sticking to it. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes and turn the pan after 20 minutes of cooking. A carrot cake should cool in its pan on a baking rack for about 2 hours. Use a knife to release the cake from the sides of the pan and turn the cake over onto a cake platter for frosting. Carrot cakes are usually frosted with cream cheese frosting when they are baked in a bundt pan. Cream cheese frosting does not do well to hold a layer cake together.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cakes may be eaten plain, but are usually frosted with white icing or cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts. The usual decoration is orange icing in the shape of carrots. This carrot birthday cake frosting is used on a bundt cake, sheet cake or cupcakes. Please do not cream cheese frosting with layer cakes - it is not firm enough to hold layers together. In a food processor place 5 tablespoons of unsalted, softened butter, 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of sour cream, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Process for about 5 seconds. Through the feed tube slowly add 1 and 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar and process for about 10 seconds. Transfer the frosting to a bowl for use and chill before spreading.
From a baking perspective, the carrot cake is actually a quick bread. The wet ingredients, such as the eggs and sugar, are mixed together first. Then the dry ingredients are mixed together separately. Next the wet ingredients are added to the dry ingredients. This gives gives the cake a course, dense consistency. Optional ingredients that may be added are raisins, pineapple, or nuts. From a historical perspective, carrots were used to sweeten cakes since the medieval times. Whenever sweeteners, such as sugar beets or cane sugar are scarce or too expensive, bakers use carrots to sweeten deserts because they have more natural sugar than any other vegetable except the sugar beet. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake.
Devil's Food CakeFor the perfect Devil's Food Cake follow this recipe!!!
The cake is cooked in three round pans and requires four (4) cups of frosting. The color of the dark brown cake comes from unsweetened, chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, and instant coffee. The aroma of this cake is amazing from the chocolates, brown sugar, butter and sour cream. The cake cooks fast – 15 to 20 minutes. This cake would be wonderful in many shapes: train, panda bear, drum with pretzel drumsticks, or dominos. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Pound CakeIf you decide to make the cake yourself, remember a loaf pound cake is a perfect birthday cake to be accompanied with ice cream and toppings, such as sugared crumbs. The batter of a pound cake is very temperamental. For best results prepare the batter in a food processor. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare, about 70 minutes to cook, and three hours to cool. This cake recipe may have added flavor if you add oils or zest of orange, lemon, or ginger. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Coconut CakeThe coconut cake is a perfect birthday cake for small groups. If you decide to make the COCONUT CAKE yourself, you will need two 9-inch cake pans and a fresh coconut. Crack the coconut in a deep pan to retain one cup of the fresh coconut milk which will be used in the batter. Peel the coconut meat and grate it to make one full cup of grated coconut. Leave one stick of butter out to reach room temperature before you begin. This COCONUT CAKE batter takes about 10 minutes to prepare after the coconut milk is extracted from the coconut. It cooks for about 30 minutes, and needs two to three hours to cool. The sweetness of the coconut is balanced with fresh lime zest. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
More Free Perfect Birthday Cake Recipes!Angel Food CakeThe Angel Food Cake is a perfect birthday cake for diabetics and people interested in a fat free cake. The angel food cake is made without shortening and with one dozen egg whites. The key to success is to make this cake in an ungreased tube pan. Interestingly, the abundance of cake molds in Pennsylvania led historians to think that it originated there in the 1800s. It can be a perfect birthday cake drizzled with lemon glaze, dusted with confectioner’s sugar, or topped with fruit. This recipe uses a 16-cup tube pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Check oven temperature accuracy. Line tube pan with only parchment paper. Place oven rack in middle. Ingredients: ¾ cup of cake flour; ¾ cup of sugar; 12 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks; 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar; ¼ teaspoon of salt; another ¾ cup of sugar. Directions: Whisk together ¾ cup of cake flour and ¾ cup of sugar. Slowly beat 12 egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy then add 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Change mixer to medium speed and very slowly add another ¾ cup of sugar to foamy egg whites. Using a rubber spatula fold in the flour and sugar adding ¼ cup at a time until all added to egg whites. Slowly pour mixture into tube pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on a hard surface to settle. Clean the edges of the pan. Bake the cake for 55 minutes or until golden brown. After 30 minutes, rotate the pan. The cake is done when the top springs back after being pressed firmly. Remove the cake from the oven and turn it upside down on a rack. Cool for 3 hours upside down; use a sharp knife to loosen the cake from the sides. Turn the pan onto a cake plate. Remove the parchment. The cake may be served with light toppings, such as whipped cream and fresh berries.
Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake! Yellow Cake
The all purpose yellow cake is a perfect birthday cake for making shaped cakes and cupcakes.
It works well for a round layered cake and as a sheet cake. It is firm enough (whole milk and eggs) to hold figurine decorations. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare and about 45 minutes to cook. A 9 inch layer cake requires about 3 cups of frosting.
Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Click here for FREE Yellow Cake Recipe!!! Almond CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe uses a 10 inch spring-form pan – well buttered. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. The key is to be patient and gentle with the egg whites to keep them creamy but firm. No icing is required because the top decoration is slivered almonds. Ingredients: 20 egg whites; pinch of salt; 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons of sugar; 4 cups of sifted cake flour; ½ pound plus 1 ½ tablespoons of softened butter; pinch of finely grated lemon peel; 1/3 cup of slivered almonds. Directions: Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are very firm. Very gently mix in sugar, spoonful by spoonful. Whisk between adding sugar to keep the mixture creamy and firm. Mix all flour in at one time, the butter, and a pinch of grated lemon. Mix well but gently to avoid deflating the egg whites. Fill well greased spring-form pan with mixture and sprinkle all almond slivers on top. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until a straw of toothpick inserted in the cake comes out moist and clean – no clinging wet pieces of batter. Remove the cake from the spring-form pan and cool on a rack before cutting it. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Almond Cake from Sweden
This perfect birthday cake recipe makes one 8 inch cake; double for a layer cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. The cake is moist and may be made as early as two days in advance and freezes very well. The almond topping is a little heavy and when poured on the cake top cause the cake to sink a little. Do not be alarmed because the cake is then returned to the oven to brown the topping. Ingredients for the Cake: 1 cup plus 1 table spoon of flour; 1/8 teaspoon of salt; 1 teaspoon of baking powder; 2 eggs; 1 cup of sugar; 1 teaspoon of vanilla; ¼ cup of cream; 8 tablespoons of melted and cooled butter. Ingredients for topping: 1/3 cup of slivered almonds; 4 tablespoons of butter; 3 tablespoons of sugar; 2 tablespoons of flour; 1 tablespoon of cream. Directions: Measure and sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the eggs with electric mixer; add sugar slowly; beat until thick and lemon colored. Add vanilla extract. Alternatively add small amounts of flour and cream and blend to mix – careful not to overbeat. Pour in the butter and blend with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 8 inch cake pan. Place cake in middle shelf of oven and bake for about 30 minutes or up to 5 minutes longer if the center of the cake slightly moves when tested with a little push on the top. While the cake is cooking, mix all the topping ingredients together in a small sauce pan and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and raise the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the topping over the cake and return it to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes – until sizzles and is brown. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Almond Cherry Loaf CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe makes one 9x5 inch loaf pan cake. The cake is perfect for birthday cake themes using red.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and line the bottom of the loaf pan with parchment paper to ensure easy and safe removal of the cake from the pan. The recipe uses dry, candied cherries and slivered almonds. Ingredients: 1/3 cup of slivered almonds for topping plus 2/3 cup of ground almonds using a food processor for batter; 3 eggs; ¾ cup of softened butter; 1 cup of candied, dry cherries; 1 cup of super fine sugar; 1 ½ cups of flour; 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder. Directions: Cut the cherries in half and drain them to remove all syrup. Dry the cherries on paper towels until very dry. In a bowl, mix sugar, ground almonds, butter, and eggs. Beat until smooth, then fold in the cherries. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan being careful to avoid sides of pan. Smooth out the batter to remove air pockets. Spread the slivered almonds on the top of the cake and place cake in oven center rack. Bake for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until tester of straw of toothpick comes out clean without wet cake batter attached. Remove cake from oven and cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing cake from pan and placing on wire rack to cool. Let cool for 2 hours before serving. Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
Almond Chestnut TorteThis perfect birthday cake recipe uses a 10 inch spring-form pan – well buttered. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. This is the perfect birthday cake for a small group. This cake may be served with or without topping of fresh whipped cream that is made with little sugar. This unusual birthday cake has a chocolate whipped cream filling. Ingredients for Fresh Chestnut puree: ¾ pound of unpeeled fresh chestnuts; 2 tablespoons of rum. Ingredients for Torte: 4 egg yolks; 5 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks; ¾ cup of sugar; 1 cup of ground almonds; ½ cup of apricot jam, heated to make the glaze. Ingredients for chocolate filling: 3 ounces of semisweet chocolate bits; 3 tablespoons of water; 1 cup of heavy cream – whipped – not sweetened. Directions: Boil fresh chestnuts for 15 to 20 minutes then peel them. Put chestnuts in a food processor to make 2 ¼ cups of puree. Add rum to puree. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until fluffy and lemon color. Slowly add in chestnut puree. Next, fold in the ground almonds and beaten egg whites. Mix thoroughly but gently. Pour batter in butter and floured 10-inch spring-form pan. Place the cake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Bake the cake for 45 to 60 minutes until straw or toothpick tester. Remove torte from oven and remove ring of spring-form pan. Cool torte in a dry place – not in refrigerator. Prepare filling by melting chocolate in a double-boiler and adding 3 tablespoons of water. Cool mixture to room temperature then fold in whipped cream. After the torte is cool, slice it horizontally to make two layers. Place one layer on a cake plate. Spread chocolate whipped cream filling on the layer; place the other layer on top of the filling. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Heat apricot jam and spread as a glaze on the top layer of cooled torte. Decorate cake with candles for birthday celebration! Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake! Almond Lemon Pound CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe uses two loaf pans – well buttered and floured. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. These loaves make a perfect birthday cake to decorate end-to-end as a train or golf green! Ingredients: 3 cups of sifted flour; pinch of salt; 1 teaspoon of baking powder; 4 sticks or 1 pound of softened butter; 9 eggs separated with whites beaten to stiff peaks; ½ teaspoon of almond extract; ½ teaspoon of lemon extract; ½ teaspoon of rose water (Rose water may be found in gourmet or ethnic shops. Directions: Sift together the baking powder, salt and flour. Add softened butter and use electric mixer to blend it with the flour mixture until fluffy and light. Gradually add sugar and mix keeping mixture creamy. In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks until lemon color and very fluffy. Add and stir the egg yolks to the butter and flour mixture. Add one third of the egg whites slowly to the batter by hand. Next use a rubber spatula to slowly fold in the remaining egg whites while preserving the fluffy volume of the egg whites. Pour the batter evenly into two buttered and floured loaf pans and bake in center of oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tests done with a straw or toothpick inserted in the middle. When the tester comes out of the cake clean, the cake is done. Cool cake 2 hours before decorating with frosting. Almond Meringue CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe uses two 7-inch round cake pans buttered and floured. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. After the cake has cooled 2 to 3 hours, frost with butter cream frosting. Ingredients: 4 egg whites beaten into stiff peaks; 1 cup of ground almonds; ½ cup of fine sugar (super fine). Optional: ½ cup of almond slivers for decorating cake top and sides. Directions: Fold in the ground almonds and sugar to the beaten egg whites. Be careful to keep the airy egg whites as fluffy as possible while blending almonds and super fine sugar. Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared pans. Place pans in center of oven and bake for 30 minutes or until straw or toothpick come clean when inserted in middle of cake. Remove the cake from the oven and turn them on cake rack to cool for 2-3 hours. In the meantime prepare butter cream frosting. Place one layer of cake onto a cake plate. Spoon and spread about ¼ of the frosting on top of the layer, then stack the second layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting on top and sides of cake. Add optional almond slivers to side and top as desired for decorations. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Apple and Cinnamon CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe is baked in a buttered 10-inch iron skillet pan in a oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Ingredients: 4 eggs; 1 ¼ cups of sugar; ¼ cup of fine, dry bread crumbs; ½ pound of melted butter; 1 ½ cups of flour, sifted; 1 teaspoon of baking powder; 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges; 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Directions: Sprinkle bread crumbs around cast iron skillet. Mix together in a small bowl ½ cup of sugar and the ground cinnamon. In a different medium mixing bowl beat the eggs with only 1 cup of sugar until mixture is pale lemon color and thick. Sift together and add the flour and baking powder, then the melted butter. Blend completely. Pour the batter into the skillet. Dip the apple wedges in the sugar and cinnamon mixture and press into cake batter. Bake cake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden. Test the cake by inserting a straw or toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is done. After the cake has cooled for two hours, turn the cake onto a plate and serve at room temperature or warmed with sweetened cream, whipped cream, or ice cream. Apple CakeThis perfect birthday cake recipe uses a 12-inch oiled, spring-form pan and is baked in a preheated 400 degree F. oven. This is a yeast cake and very easy to make. Ingredients: 5 medium size McIntosh apples (for best results - please do not substitute with other varieties of apple); 4 tablespoons of pork lard; 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh, strained lemon juice; two packages of ¼ ounce of active, dry yeast; ¼ cup of tepid water; 1 ½ cups of flour; 2/3 cup of sugar; 2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel; 2 eggs; ½ cup of raisins that have been soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and then drained. Directions: Melt lard in a saucepan and let it cool while peel, core and slice apples into thin slices. Place the apple slices in a medium bowl and toss with lemon juice to coat the slices. Place 1 cup of flour in another medium bowl and create a small well in the center of the flour with your hand. Dissolve the yeast in the tepid water and pour into the well. Use only a wooden spoon and stir the yeast water into the flour. While stirring add the sugar, melted lard, eggs, and grated lemon peel. When all ingredients are well mixed, stir in the remaining ½ cup of flour. Stir mixture and add soaked, drained raisins and half of the apple slices into the dough. Mix until homogeneous. Place the dough in the oiled spring-form pan and spread the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan to the sides. Arrange the remaining apple slices on top of the dough. Cover the pan with a towel and place out of cool drafts. When the dough has risen to top of pan, remove the towel and place the pan in the center of preheated 400 degree oven for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown – no more than 45 minutes. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes and remove the sides of the spring-form. Place the cake on a plate that can handle the heat and serve with a thin slice of cheddar cheese over the warm apple top or sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.
Make your own the Perfect Birthday Cake!
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Perfect Birthday Celebration
Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake - Top View
Devil's Food Cake Decorated with Whipped Cream, Strawberries and Oreo Cookies. Oreo cookie crumbs on sides of cake.
Yellow Cake Decorated with Vanilla Frosting & and colored frosting with Happy Clown head from cake decorating store. Candles are in the shape of balloons.