So, you've been tasked or volunteered to make a homemade birthday cake for someone special. The problem is you've either never done it before, or you have, and it was a stressful disaster. Fear not, this list of Easy Homemade Birthday Cakes for Beginners will be your guide to being a birthday-cake-making-boss.
Easy Homemade Birthday Cake Recipes and When to Make Them
- When You are Short on Time: Chocolate Nut Cake
- Top Pick for Beginners: Hot Milk Sponge Cake
- A Classic Birthday Cake: Vanilla and Chocolate Cake
- A Cake for Your Mom: Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling
- A Cake for Your Dad: Biscuit Base Lemon Meringue Pie
- Best Chocolate Birthday Cake: Bar One Chocolate Caramel Cake
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Whether it's layered or bundt, vanilla or chocolate, filled with strawberry jam or ganache, this list has it all! If cakes still scare you a little, you can start off making these Smarties Cookies or these Easy Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil for a birthday celebration; they'll be just as welcome!
Jump to:
- Easy Homemade Birthday Cake Recipes and When to Make Them
- Vanilla Birthday Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
- Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe
- Simple Birthday Cake Recipe
- Layered Birthday Cake Recipe
- Pink Birthday Cake Recipe
- Unique Birthday Cake Recipe For Adults
- Quick Birthday Cake Recipe
- Small Birthday Cake Recipe for Two
- Kids Birthday Cake Recipe
- Mom's Birthday Cake Recipe
- Dad's Birthday Cake Recipe
- Easy Homemade Birthday Cakes FAQs
- More Easy Homemade Birthday Cake Recipe Ideas
- Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Vanilla Birthday Cake Recipe
If I were picking my birthday cake, it would be this recipe! This Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting recipe makes two layers of fluffy, moist vanilla sponge, covered in a fudgy milk chocolate and dark chocolate frosting. And of course there's sprinkles!
Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
This Bar One Chocolate Caramel Cake is every chocolate lover's dream birthday cake! This recipe makes two layers of soft, fluffy chocolate sponge, sandwiched with homemade caramel and covered in a Bar One chocolate frosting. Trust me, one slice won't be enough!
Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe
This Blackberry and Lemon Bundt Cake recipe would be perfect for all the ladies who love cake more than frosting. The flavour of this vanilla bundt cake is unmatched, filled with lemon zest and blackberries, it is truly delicious. After baking, the bundt cake is drizzled with a white chocolate glaze.
Simple Birthday Cake Recipe
This Hot Milk Sponge Cake is the very first cake recipe I ever made! I have adapted it from a recipe book that's falling apart and way older than me! It's not a fancy cake, but it is a quick birthday cake to make when you really just want something to pop a candle into and sing. This recipe is also perfect for people who don't bake and just want to make something simple and easy to show their love.
Layered Birthday Cake Recipe
This Biscoff Layer Cake is for the baker who is ready to tackle stacking cake layers, filling them, smoothing frostings, and adding a drip! Make this layered birthday cake personal by adding a custom cake topper and candles.
Pink Birthday Cake Recipe
I am a cuker for a pink birthday cake, and this Raspberry and Vanilla Cake Recipe makes such a pretty and delicious one. This recipe is for two layers of vanilla sponge sandwiched with a homemade raspberry compote and covered in a raspberry cream cheese frosting.
Unique Birthday Cake Recipe For Adults
I love cake flavours that get a crowd chatting, and this Espresso Martini Cake has done just that every time I have made it! This recipe is for a three-layer chocolate sponge cake filled with espresso ganache and coffee-flavoured Swiss meringue buttercream. It's boozy, it's bougie, and it's the perfect cake for someone a little extra!
Quick Birthday Cake Recipe
I mention this Chocolate Nut Cake in almost every round-up because this recipe is too good to miss! This is a quick birthday cake recipe for a chocolate bundt cake that rides the line between a cake and a pudding it is so moist! The milk chocolate-hazelnut drip is delicious.
Small Birthday Cake Recipe for Two
If you're looking for a tiny cake just for two (maybe 4 if you're feeling generous), this Mini Chocolate Cake is perfect. This recipe makes one layer of moist chocolate cake covered in a delicious chocolate frosting. Decorate with sprinkles and a few candles, and you'll have the perfect mini birthday cake!
Kids Birthday Cake Recipe
Kids change their minds constantly about what birthday cake they want, but if you nail the basics of Mini Vanilla Birthday Cake, you can decorate it with different colours and toppers to suit any theme.
Mom's Birthday Cake Recipe
This Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling makes the perfect birthday cake for moms. This recipe makes two layers of fluffy vanilla sponge, sandwiched with a homemade strawberry filling and covered in vanilla buttercream frosting.
Dad's Birthday Cake Recipe
Dads love cake, but do you know what they love more? Lemon Meringue Pies! And who says you can't give a whole pie to someone on their birthday with a candle sticking out of it! I've made this Biscuit Base Lemon Meringue Pie for my dad, and he loves it.
Easy Homemade Birthday Cakes FAQs
First of all, pick a good recipe from a baker you can trust! Also, consider your current skill level and pick a cake you can manage without stressing yourself out. Make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment, and follow the recipe.
This would be a recipe that doesn't require any fancy equipment or one that doesn't need to be frosted. For beginners, I recommend this Hot Milk Sponge Cake or this Chocolate Nut Cake. If you have some baking experience and want to make a classic layer cake, try this Vanilla and Chocolate Cake or this Vanilla Buttercream Cake.
Yes, beginners can make a layered birthday cake by using easy recipes, baking even cake layers, and choosing simple frostings like buttercream or ganache.
I like using 22cm (9-inch) pans for baking birthday cakes. I think this is a good size, and two tins can fit side by side in most ovens.
Fresh is always best, so try to make the cakes as close to when they will be served as possible. For the layer cakes listed above, you can make the cakes a day or two in advance and then make the frosting and decorate the day of serving.
Buttercream frosting is the easiest option for beginners because it is forgiving, easy to spread, and works well for simple decorations. This Vanilla Buttercream Cake is perfect for beginners.
No, most beginner birthday cakes can be made using basic kitchen tools like mixing bowls, a whisk or mixer, and standard cake pans.
More Easy Homemade Birthday Cake Recipe Ideas
I hope this list has been helpful and that you've picked the perfect birthday cake recipe! If you are all about the chocolate life, take a look at this post, The Best Chocolate Cake Recipes for Beginners, for even more ideas!
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
If you give any of these delicious chocolate cake recipes a try, please leave a comment below! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at these Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes!
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