Ultimate Birthday Cake (video)

My ultimate birthday cake is an over-the-top, crazy-looking, ocean and coral inspired creation! It’s made with funfetti vanilla cake layers, vanilla buttercream and white chocolate ganache! I enjoyed adding all the little details like the rainbow sprinkles, blue ganache and the purple sugar crystal. If you’re looking for a creative birthday cake, try making this one for an unforgettable dessert! I love celebrating birthdays (my favorite day of the year!) and the special day calls for a special cake!

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How to Make the Ultimate Birthday Cake!

I start this fun birthday cake out with relatively simple vanilla cake dotted with rainbow sprinkles to make it extra festive. The cake is then frosted with a simple vanilla buttercream. Both my vanilla cake and buttercream have in-depth video tutorials that can help if need extra tips. And that’s where the basic stops!

To garnish this cake and take it to extraordinary, I pressed rainbow sprinkles directly on the sides of the cake, because who doesn’t like sprinkles? Watch my video recipe to see how it’s done! To add some more bright color, I also finished the cake with a blue-colored white chocolate ganache. It’s such a fun addition to this birthday cake! And for the topping, I added sugar crystals, dollops of cream and match green tea poke sticks. Feel free to add your own touches to the cake!

Purple Sugar Crystals

To take this birthday cake from ordinary to extraordinary, I made my own purple-colored sugar crystals! These are actually very easy to make and they look so impressive. To make the crystals, combine the 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook the syrup over medium heat until the syrup caramelizes into an amber color but don’t allow it to get too dark! Add in the purple food coloring, then pour the hot syrup over a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Be extra careful!! The sugar syrup will be extremely hot! Allow the sugar to set, then break apart with your hands.

More Recipes!

Enjoyed this fun and creative cake recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

• Coconut Kahlua Cake – with chocolate ganache, coconut cookies and truffles on top!
• Neapolitan Cake – have all three cake flavors in one – strawberry, vanilla and chocolate!!
• Rose Cake – this stunning rose cake topped with roses is perfect for special occasions and birthdays!
• Summer Sangria Cake – delicate and packed with flavor, this cake is bound to be a favorite!

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Ultimate Birthday Cake (video)

1 hour hr 30 minutes mins prep + 40 minutes mins cook

16 servings

Learn how to make a fun and festive birthday cake with sprinkle vanilla cake, chocolate ganache and more sprinkles to garnish the outside!

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

For Vanilla Cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles

For Butter Cream:

• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 to 6 cups confectioner's sugar

For Blue Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• white food coloring
• blue food coloring

For Sugar Crystals:

• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

For Decorating:

• white edible pearls
• white chocolate wafers
• Match Green Tea Pocky sticks
• gold dust

Instructions

• Prepare the vanilla cake layers. Preheat oven to 350F and line 3, 8-inch cake rounds with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and milk and mix until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix together, then add to the cake batter. Whisk just until the flour is incorporated; avoid over-mixing. Fold in the rainbow sprinkles. Divide the dough evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks.
• Prepare the butter cream. Whisk the softened butter on high speed until light and fluffy and white in color. Add the vanilla, salt and begin adding the confectioner's sugar. Whisk well after each addition of the sugar and scrape down sides of bowl. Reserve about 1 cup of the frosting in a separate bowl and color it pink for decorating the top.
• Assemble the cake. If you wish to add more flavor to the cake with fruit preserves or flavored sugar syrup, do so between each layer. Frost each layer with buttercream, then frost top and sides. Level the top and sides with a flat spatula.
• Transfer the cake onto a cardboard round and onto an inverted bowl/cup over a baking tray. Measure out about 1/2 cup of rainbow sprinkles and use your hands to gently press the sprinkles into the sides of the cake. Once sides are well-covered, transfer cake into the refrigerator and allow it to chill for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate ganache. Combine the white chocolate and cream in a small bowl and heat in microwave until smooth. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of white food coloring; this will make the ganache less opaque and the food coloring more vibrant. Add the blue food coloring. Allow the chocolate ganache to cool slightly.
• Transfer the ganache into a disposable bag, cut off the tip and drizzle down the sides of the cake and over the top. Chill the cake again and allow the ganache to set up a little bit before decorating the top.
• Transfer the reserved pink buttercream into a pastry bag and pipe onto the cake. Garnish with broken sugar crystals, pocky sticks, pearls, chocolate wafers and gold dust. Keep cake refrigerated; remove about 1 hour prior to serve to allow the buttercream to soften.
• To prepare the purple sugar crystal: combine the 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook the syrup over medium heat until the syrup caramelizes into an amber color. Add purple food coloring, then pour the hot syrup over a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Allow the sugar to set, then break apart with your hands.

Nutrition

Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 1232IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 1mg