Go Back
5 from 2 votes
The $5 birthday cake is decorated with white frosting and colorful sprinkles. One slice is cut and being lifted away. It shows the moist crumb and frosting in between.
Print Recipe
Vanilla Birthday Cake ($5!)
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

Vanilla birthday cake made easy and affordable! This $5 recipe is moist, tasty, and topped with fluffy frosting—perfect for any celebration.

Servings: 10 people
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
Vanilla Birthday Cake
  • 2 ¼ cups (11 ¼ oz/319 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups (12 oz/360 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (1 oz/28 g) cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs , at room temperature
  • 1 cup (8 fl oz/240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup (6 fl oz/180 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (1 oz/28 g) rainbow sprinkles, divided
7-Minute Frosting
  • 2 large egg whites (2 oz/60 g)
  • 1 ⅓ cups (10 ½ oz/296 g) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (2 ½ fl oz/80 ml) water, cold
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
To Make the Birthday Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans, line with parchment paper.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.

  3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract together.

  4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry in two or three additions, and stop mixing once the batter is smooth.

  5. Lastly, fold in sprinkles and divide evenly between the prepared pans.

  6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

  7. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

To Make the 7-Minute Frosting

  1. Follow detailed instructions of 7-Minute Frosting Recipe.

To Assemble the Birthday Cake

  1. Place the first layer on a serving plate and trim the top if it is domed. Spread about ¾ cup of frosting evenly over the top.

  2. Trim the dome off the top of the second layer, then place upside down on top of the first later.

  3. Cover the whole cake with a very thin coat of frosting to seal in the crumbs and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

  4. Decorate the crumb coated cake with the remaining frosting.

  5. Leave at room temperature and serve immediately or within a few hours of frosting.