Does anyone know a really good but simple cake recipe?

Question

it's for a very special occasion. Just a simple birthday cake recipe will do. The internet doesn't seem to have one.

Answer 1

I have one for Snickerdoodle Cake, like a snickerdoodle cookie, that always gets raves when I take it some where:

Snickerdoodle Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350*, grease and dust with flour two 9 inch round cake pans

1 package white cake mix

1 cup whole milk

1 stick butter, melted

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place all in a large bowl, beat on low for one minute, scrape sides.  Beat on medium for 2 more minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.  Batter should look well combined, but will be thick.

Divide into the two pans.  Bake till golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched.  Approx. 27-29 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, run a knife around rim, invert on wire rack.  Cool completely.  Frost with Snickerdoodle Frosting.

Snickerdoodle Frosting

1 stick butter, at room temp

3 ¾ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 - 4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place butter in a large mixing bowl, blend with electric mixer on low speed till fluffy,

about 30 seconds.  Stop mixer and add rest of ingredients, mix well until powdered sugar is well incorporated, about one minute.  Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about one minute more.  Add up to one tablespoon of milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

Answer 2

This is my "go to", quick, in a pickle for time cake recipe.  The combinations are nearly endless!

1 Duncan Hines cake mix - any flavor

1 small (4 serving size) instant pudding, same flavor as cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup water

Put together in mixer bowl, beat about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl about 1/2 way through.  Put in prepared pan, greased or sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 350 F until top springs back when pressed (in the middle) or cake tests done by inserting a toothpick near the middle.  If it comes out clean, it's done.  Cool in pan 10 min, remove from pan, cool thoroughly and frost.

This makes 1 13" x 9", 2 layers (8 or 9") 1 bundt pan or 1 angel food cake pan.  

Now here's the fun part.  You can mix and match your flavors of icing, fillings and cake.  One of the favorites here in the summer is lemon cake, lemon pudding in the cake, split cake horizontaly and fill with lemon pie filling.  Frost with cream cheese frosting and chill.

If you like Black Forest - use chocolate cake mix and pudding, fill with cherry pie filling and frost with chocolate frosting and garnish with whipped cream.  Chocolate cake goes well with raspberry also!  You could do a yellow cake with pineapple pie filling and cream cheese frosting too.  Yellow cake with vanilla buttercream is good, can add toasted coconut on the top.  You could do yellow or white cake, strawberry pie filling and whipped cream for a take on strawberry shortcake too.....the possibilities are endless!

I don't always frost the cake either.  I take a container of Duncan Hines frosting and heat it ever so slightly in the microwave and stir the heck out of it.  It will thin down from the heat and you can drizzle/glaze the cake with that too.  1 can usually does 2 cakes.  

Answer 3

Jello Poke Cake (everyone loves it)

1. Make a butter recipe cake - boxed cake and follow the directions on the box

2,  Bake the cake and cool

3. Make strawberry/banana jello  - make according to the box but do not let the jello form

4.  As soon as you stir the cold water in the jello, take a fork and poke holes ALL over the cake.   Pour the liquid jello all over the cake and put in the fridge for about 2 hours.

5. Spread Cool Whip over cake!

Enjoy!!!!