It’s my birthday and I decided to make a smaller Vanilla Birthday Cake with a not too sweet Lemon Mascarpone Frosting. This moist delicious cake pairs perfectly with this creamy lemony icing.

Birthday cake on a black cake stand with two lit candles.

Yes it’s my birthday and since the Italian and I are now empty nesters I decided that we needed cake! I loved celebrating birthdays and making my daughters favourite cakes was always fun. From Vanessa’s Ice Cream Cake to Erika’s Baci Birthday Cake.

I don’t usually share my birthdays on the blog but as everyone keeps telling me, it’s quite monumental. Yup the big 60. There I said it. I tell my kids, be kind, live your life and don’t worry about the small things or things you have no control over, because before you know it you’re 60.

Trust me I was 25, five minutes ago! And yeah I still feel 25, ok maybe closer to 30. So therefore I decided a simple Vanilla Cake with a creamy lemony Mascarpone frosting would be perfect. And it was!

How to make a Vanilla Cake

In the bowl of a stand up mixer or mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

butter and sugar beaten until light and fluffy in the mixing bowl

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set it aside.
In a small bowl mix together the yogurt and milk. Set aside.

adding the egg mixture, the whisked dry ingredients in a blue bowl & the yogurt & milk mixed

Add the eggs one at a time and combine, then add the vanilla and combine.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt mixture and combine. But do not over mix.
The batter will be thick.

Pour into the prepared pans and bake.

Let them cool completely before frosting.

frosting for the birthday cake in the silver mixing bowl

Why is my cake flat?

There are many reason a cake doesn’t rise, the heat of the oven is a main cause, either not hot enough or it’s too hot. Make sure that your oven temperature is correct. Use an oven thermometer to check if you have any doubt.

Also be sure that your baking powder has not expired. To check to make sure it is still good, add 1/2 teaspoon of powder in a bowl and pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over it.

It should bubble up immediately and very strongly, if it does it’s still good, if it doesn’t, time to buy a new tin. Bake the cake as soon as the batter has been mixed and poured into the pan, don’t let it stand around.

Be sure to use the correct cake pan size, too large a pan could cause a flat cake too. It also helps to use the best possible ingredients. Make sure they are at room temperature, they will mix better and therefore it’s easier for the cake to rise.

Vanilla cake with two candles blown out.

How to make cake flour

This vanilla cake recipe calls for cake flour because there is less gluten in it (it has less protein), it makes a cake softer and more tender, but you don’t have to buy it you can make it yourself.

For every cup of all purpose flour remove 2 tablespoons and substitute with corn starch, sift the two together and there you have homemade cake or pastry flour.

How to store the Cake

Because the frosting for this cake is made with Mascarpone it is always better to keep any leftovers refrigerated.

How to freeze the cake

The cake should be frozen unfrosted. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to three months.

Thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight, leave it completely wrapped so that the condensation doesn’t affect the cake but remains on the wrapping. Frost the cake once it has thawed completely.

How to tell when a it is done?

Test the cake for doneness with a toothpick, if it comes out clean with a few crumbs attached it is done, if it comes out wet with batter attached then it still needs to bake.

More Delicious Cakes to make

So if you are looking for a delicious moist Vanilla Cake with a not too sweet Lemon Mascarpone Frosting then I hope you give this Vanilla Birthday Cake a try. Enjoy!