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Bow Birthday Cake

Bow Birthday Cake Recipe

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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 680
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • A pinch of fine salt
  • Gel food coloring

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round pans and line with parchment. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add ¾ cup butter and mix until crumbly. Add eggs, 1 ¼ cups milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 minutes until smooth.
  2. Divide batter between pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
  3. Beat 2 cups butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then 2 tablespoons milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes. Tint with gel color as desired.
  4. Level cooled cake rounds. Cut a 3-inch-wide center strip from each round. Trim a flat edge on the four half-circle side pieces so they stand upright.
  5. Arrange the two strip pieces as tails on a serving plate, then stand the four loop pieces around them. Use a little buttercream to secure. Chill for 20 minutes.
  6. Apply a crumb coat and chill 15 minutes. Frost thickly, shaping loops and tails. Pipe a buttercream knot in the center. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Chill the baked layers for 20 minutes before cutting if your kitchen is warm. The crumb coat sets faster that way and keeps the final frosting crumb-free.