TRADITIONAL VANILLA BIRTHDAY CAKE
WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Source: The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery by Jennifer Appel, Allysa Torey
Makes: 1 (3 layer) 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes

FOR THE CAKE:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
8 cups of confectioners sugar, divided use
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TO PREPARE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour three 9x2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottom with waxed paper.

In a large bowl, on a medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide the batter among the cake pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

TO PREPARE THE FROSTING:
Add 4 cups of the sugar to soften butter and then the milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1-cup at a time, until icing is think enough to be a good spreading consistency. (You may not need all of the sugar.) If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store icing at room temp., as icing will set if chilled. Can be stored in airtight container up to three days.