The perfect recipe for a Frosted Vanilla Birthday Cake Drizzled with Hot Fudge Sauce and Sprinkles
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease and lightly flour two 8 or 9-inch square cake pans and line with buttered, floured parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl combine together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add eggs and beat well, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until just combined.
Divide batter between the two pans; smooth tops with an off-set spatula.
Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 28-35 minutes.
Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely. Shave the tops off the cakes so they are flat for icing.
Frosting
In a medium sized mixing beat together butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium. Add confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt, half-and-half or milk and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread 1 cup frosting on top.
Place remaining cake layer on top. spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, swirling to coat in a decorative fashion.
Hot Fudge Sauce
Combine all ingredients in small, heavy saucepan set over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Once it reaches a boil, immediately reduce to simmer. Simmer and whisk for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to warm or lukewarm before drizzling onto the cake. Serve with chocolate ice cream if desired.