Sweet Birthday Pound Cake Recipe

Growing up, birthday cakes in our house always meant a box mix with canned frosting. That’s just how mom did it. When my grandmother made her pound cake though, it was different – dense, buttery, and made completely from scratch.

I always thought making a good pound cake required some special baking talent I didn’t have. But after getting my grandmother’s recipe and actually trying it myself, I realized it’s really about simple ingredients and following a few basic steps. If you can measure flour and cream butter, you can make this cake – no fancy baking skills needed.

What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For pound cake, unsalted butter is the way to go since it lets you control exactly how much salt goes into your cake. Make sure your butter is truly at room temperature – it should be soft enough that your finger leaves a slight indent when pressed, but not so soft that it’s greasy or melting. If you’re in a hurry, cut the butter into small cubes to help it soften faster, but avoid microwaving it as this can lead to uneven softening. European-style butter, with its higher butterfat content, can make your cake even richer, though regular American butter works perfectly fine too. Just remember to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to start baking.

Options for Substitutions

This fun cake recipe has some wiggle room when it comes to ingredients. Here’s what you can swap:

• Cake flour: If you don’t have cake flour, you can make your own by replacing 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour per cup with cornstarch. For this recipe, measure out 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, remove 3 tablespoons, and add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together well.
• Clear vanilla essence: Regular vanilla extract works perfectly fine – your cake might just have a slightly darker color. Pure vanilla extract actually gives better flavor!
• 2% milk: Any milk works here – whole milk, 1%, or even plant-based options like almond or oat milk. For extra richness, you could even use buttermilk.
• Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter, that’s okay! Just skip the added salt in the recipe. The butter needs to be soft but not melted for the right texture, so don’t try to substitute with oil.
• Sprinkles: Any type of sprinkles work – jimmies, nonpareils, or even custom color combinations. Just avoid chocolate sprinkles as they might bleed into the batter.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The temperature of your ingredients makes a huge difference in pound cake success – cold butter and eggs won’t cream properly, so make sure to let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour before starting. Another common mistake is overmixing the batter once you’ve added the flour, which can lead to a tough, dense cake – instead, fold the dry ingredients gently just until they’re combined. When it comes to baking time, resist the urge to open the oven door frequently to check on your cake, as this causes temperature fluctuations that can lead to uneven rising or sinking in the middle. For the perfect texture, check your cake about 5 minutes before the recommended baking time by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Finally, let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes before removing – any shorter and it might break, any longer and it could stick to the pan.

What to Serve With Birthday Pound Cake?

This festive pound cake is perfect for birthday celebrations, and there are so many fun ways to serve it! A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side makes it extra special – the cold ice cream is so good against the warm or room-temperature cake. If you want to keep things simple, a dollop of freshly whipped cream and some fresh berries adds nice color and flavor without overshadowing the cake’s sprinkle-filled charm. For a morning birthday celebration, serve it alongside a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk, which helps balance out the sweetness of the cake and its vanilla glaze.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This birthday pound cake stays moist and yummy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature. It’ll be good for up to 4 days – if it lasts that long! Just make sure to let it cool completely before storing, and keep it away from direct sunlight or heat.

Freeze: Want to plan ahead? You can freeze this cake for up to 3 months! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil (or pop it in a freezer bag). If you’ve already added the glaze, freeze it unwrapped for an hour first, then wrap it up – this keeps the glaze looking nice.

Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen cake, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator while still wrapped. Then bring it to room temperature for about 1-2 hours before serving. The sprinkles might not be quite as bright after freezing, but the cake will still taste great!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	40-50 minutes
Total Time	60-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3500
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-450 g

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons clear vanilla essence (if available)
• 2 tablespoons milk (2% fat)
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup colorful sprinkles
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (2% fat)
• 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla essence (if available)
• 1 tablespoon colorful sprinkles

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Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Equipment

Begin by removing the butter from the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) in preparation for baking.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and rainbow sprinkles.

Stir the mixture until the sprinkles are evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.

Set this bowl aside for later use.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar.

Mix on low speed for 30-60 seconds until the butter has softened.

Increase the speed to high for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes lighter in color and fluffy.

Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed to ensure even mixing.

Step 4: Incorporate Wet Ingredients

In a separate small bowl, crack three eggs and add the vanilla extract and milk, mixing them together.

Set the mixer back to low speed and gradually add this wet mixture to the butter and sugars.

Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until fully combined.

Step 5: Gradually Add Eggs and Mix

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next.

After all the eggs are added, let the mixer run for another minute on medium-high speed for a smooth batter.

Step 6: Add and Mix Dry Ingredients

Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, then gradually add the bowl of dry ingredients.

Mix on low speed until almost fully combined, roughly 30 seconds.

Be sure to scrape down the sides to incorporate any remaining bits.

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