• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

Big Berry Birthday Cake

April 3, 2010 by Joy the Baker 158 Comments

Big Berry Birthday Cake

I love birthdays.

There’s cake.  There’s fire.  There are smiles and joy.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

Birthdays also allow for the possibility of fork candles.  Pretty brilliant.  Pretty genius.  Pretty Fred and friends.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

This is Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake batter.  It’s studded with blueberries, just because.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake bakes up beautifully golden with a dense crumb and alluring sweet vanilla flavor.  Plus blueberries… obviously.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

Vanilla Whipped Buttercream.  Sorta like eating a spoonful of sweet butter.  Sorta like the best thing on earth.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

Berries gosh dang it.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

Berries on frosting on cake.  This is getting good.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

And then I whipped the rest of the cake together in a flash.  Completely forgetting to take step by step photos.

Want to know how to frost a cake?  I put together a tutorial a few years back.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

I like this part.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

I really like this part.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

I especially like the part where I get to snag a slice of berry cake.  Holy yumtown.

Big Berry Birthday Cake

makes a 2 layer 8-inch cake or 24 cupcakes

from Organic and Chic

Print this Recipe!

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour two 8-inch round baking pans and set aside.  This recipe also makes 24 cupcakes.

In a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure that everything is well mixed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition.

In a small bowl whisk together flour baking powder and salt.

In a separate small bowl combine the milk, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds.

With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture in three batches.  Start and end with the flour mixture.  When the batter is just combined, shut off the mixture and thoroughly incorporate the dough with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter between the two pans.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a pale golden color, and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  For cupcakes bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool.  Frost and berry only when cakes are completely cool.

Vanilla Whipped Buttercream Frosting with Rose Water

makes enough to fill and frost one 8-inch layer cake or frost 24 cupcakes

from Organic and Chic

2 sticks (1 cup) organic unsalted butter, softened

1 cup organic cane sugar

1 cup organic whole milk

1/4 cup sifted organic all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons organic vanilla extract

1 teaspoon rosewater

Cream the butter on medium speed, 3 to 5 minutes, in a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer until soft, adout 30 seconds.  Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup mil with the flour and vanilla extract.  Whisk together until there are no lumps.  Over medium heat, slowly add the remaining 3/4 cups milk, whisking constantly and cook until the mixture comes to a low boil.

Reduce the heat to low and continue mixing until the mixture starts to thicken slightly.

When the mixture starts to thicken, immediately remove the pan from the heat but keep stirring.  After you have removed the pan from the heat, the mixture will continue to cook for a minute or two on its own.

If you overheat the mixture and find that you have some lumps, try to whisk them out with a little elbow grease, or pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.  Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.  Place the mixture in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the process.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly poor the milk mixture into the butter and sugar mixture.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the rose water during this final mixing.


Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Birthday Cake Recipes, Cakes, Fruit, Holiday, Recipes, Vanilla

Previous Post: « How to Impress a Boy by Baking
Next Post: What to do with all that Buttermilk »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. AmbalaCakes

    October 28, 2021 at 1:08 am

    Nice Birthday cake recipe

    Reply
  2. Kanika

    April 26, 2018 at 3:23 pm

    So pretty! I love that you baked berries in the cake. Not too long ago I baked a cake for my berry lover husband. And did something similar. Would love your thoughts!
    Do drop by our blog :)
    https://kitchenpostcards.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/berry-berry-birthday-cake-a-wine-lovers-cake-stand/

    Reply
  3. Ambika

    April 23, 2018 at 3:58 am

    Hello! I would like to make this cake for my son’s birthday…would like to know if I can make it with frozen berries instead of fresh. And also can I make it a day ahead and put it in the fridge? Would it stay ok for a day and half in the fridge after its frosted? Thanks so much for this recipe! Ambika

    Reply
  4. Christina

    December 3, 2016 at 11:49 am

    I made this frosting with your Everybody’s Birthday Cake. Yum! Thank you.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake - Food Banjo says:
    May 26, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    […] recipe from one of my favorite food blogs (and one of the first food blogs I ever read)! It is a berry birthday cake. The typical preparation has you putting berries in the cake, but due to the pickiness of my […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Birthday Cake Recipes

Sliced and plated funfetti cake slices.
Funfetti Birthday Bundt Cake

I want the best for you, and that sentiment extends all the way to your birthday cake.  Growing up, my favorite birthday cake was a boxed cake mix – Funfetti Cake. For all the homemade baked wonders my family produced there was literally nothing better than that sweet, slightly metallic tasting, rainbow sheet cake.  Now…

Read More

Frosting first layer of carrot cake.
5 Tips For Making The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s time we talk about cream cheese frosting.  This most wonderful addition to layer cakes and cupcakes is simple to whip together IF you use the right ingredients at the right temperatures in the right order.  Am I making it more complicated than it should be? Ha, no! Here are five tips to making the…

Read More

Huge slice of carrot cake on a plate.
The Perfect Carrot Cake Recipe

Let me tell you a little secret.  When I worked in the bakery department at The Cheesecake Factory (back when the uniform was a sadistic white pants, white shirt and white apron), my favorite thing on the mind bogglingly large menu was the carrot cake.  This cake was a behemoth with thick layers of the…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

Baked pull apart garlic bread baked in a loaf pan.

Erin’s Roasted Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

cowboy cookies close up showing texture.

Cowboy Cookies with salted cereal brittle

Raspberry linzer cookie recipe stacked on baking sheet.

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies layered on a cooling rack.

Eggnog Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
My prayer is that we are fortified, flexible, and My prayer is that we are fortified, flexible, and well fed this year.
Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies. ⁣ Homemade Hamburger Helper with Sneaky Veggies. ⁣
⁣
The thing is, you think you’re making enough for leftovers but somehow it’s all gone in one sitting. It’s that good. Recipe linked in the bio. Xo
I made these Almost Almond Croissant with a sheet I made these Almost Almond Croissant with a sheet of puff pastry and half a log of almond paste. Consider this a max volume weekend treat. ⁣
⁣
You’ll need:⁣
- A thawed sheet of puff pastry, fridge cold⁣
- 3.5 ounces or half a log of almond paste cut into 12 even-ish pieces⁣
- An egg beaten for egg wash, with a splash of heavy cream and a glug of vanilla bean paste for extra luxury⁣
- Sliced almonds⁣
- Powdered sugar ⁣
⁣
Lightly roll a sheet of puff pastry and slice into six rectangles. ⁣
Brush each rectangle with egg wash. Arrange each with two slices almond paste. Pull two corners of the puff pastry up and over the paste, pressing lightly to seal. Brush lightly with egg wash. ⁣
⁣
Transfer to a small, parchment lined baking pan and allow to rest in the freezer while the oven preheats to 425 degrees f. ⁣
⁣
Bake from chilled for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and again lightly brush with egg wash. Top with almond slices and bake for 6-8 minutes more. Keep an eye as to not burn the almonds. ⁣
⁣
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar and enjoying warm.
No hesitation. Marshmallows in every cookie. ⁣
⁣
Peanut Butter Fluffernutter Cookie recipe linked in the profile. 💋
🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can 🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can languish on the counter long enough to be baked. ⁣
⁣
These Almond Flour Banana Bread cookies are stacked with walnuts and chocolate and one of the best way I know how to celebrate a speckled banana. Find the recipe linked in the profile! xo #bananabread #glutenfreerecipes #joythebaker #cookies #bakingrecipes
Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple s Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple small-batch bagel recipe. Get in on this with me: ⁣
⁣
2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated gouda or gruyere⁣
Everything bagel seasoning⁣
3 tablespoons baking soda with 2 cups of boiling water. ⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray. ⁣
⁣
In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
⁣
Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch rope. Bring the ends around and pinch into a circle. ⁣
⁣
Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared pan with grated cheese in two spots.  Pour boiling water over the baking soda and float each bagel in the water for 20 or so seconds.  Use a slotted spot or spatula to transfer the bagels on top of the cheese.  Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with more cheese and everything bagel seasoning. ⁣
⁣
Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up