I love making my kids birthday cakes.  This cake was an Uma cake from the Disney Channel Original movie Descendants 2.  I had a cute pirate hat on the very top with octopus legs going around the sides.  I came across this cake recipe and customized it to be the colors I wanted it.  This vanilla cake tastes amazing and is light and fluffy.

I love making my kids birthday cakes.  This cake was an Uma cake from the Disney Channel Original movie Descendants 2.  I had a cute pirate hat on the very top with octopus legs going around the sides.  I came across this cake recipe and customized it to be the colors I wanted it.  This vanilla cake tastes amazing and is light and fluffy.

Ingredients:

• 3 and 3/4 cups cake flour (spoon & leveled)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups 93 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup any color of sprinkles
• 1-2 drops any color of food coloring

Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 and 3/4 cups (3 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 7 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 6 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.

Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 4-5 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, add 1 whole egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the 2 additional egg whites and the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. If mixture looks curdled, don’t worry. It will all come together.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix this batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.

There will be just over 6 cups of batter total– transfer just over 2 cups of it to a separate bowl. Tint that batter with food coloring. Gently stir the sprinkles into the remaining 4 cups of batter.

Pour/spread batter evenly into prepared cake pans.

Bake for around 25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.

Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, more cream if frosting is too thick, or a pinch more of salt if frosting is way too sweet.

Assemble and frost: Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with frosting. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Use any leftover frosting for piping decoration.

Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction