We’re baking confetti cake for National Dessert Day, also just because

October 14 is National Dessert Day! Yes, this is a real holiday and we insist that you celebrate! From cupcakes to pie to cronuts, today you can have your cake and eat it too.

I wish more holidays were this easy to celebrate.

To honor dessert on her special day, I am sharing my from scratch confetti birthday cake recipe — for those of you who like to think outside of the box cake mix.

What you’ll need

2 ¾ cups sifted cake flour, half all-purpose, half cake (I proportioned it 1 ¼ Cake Flour and 1 ½ all purpose)

4 teaspoons baking powder, just a tad less is good. Do Not Exceed 4 teaspoons

½  teaspoon salt, just a tad less is good. Do Not Exceed ½ teaspoon

4 egg whites

½  teaspoon cream of tartar

1 ½  cups sugar ( ¾ cup granulated half white, ¾ cup confectioners sugar)

¾ cup butter, softened

1 cup milk (maybe more or less depending on softness or hardness of batter at the end, I used the whole cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

half cup sprinkles

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat egg whites until foamy with cream of tartar. Gradually add ¼ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup confectioners sugar.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and add remaining 1 cup sugar.  Blend egg mixture into this bowl. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk a small amount at a time – this is where you see if you use all the milk. Pour in extracts and sprinkles.

When batter is evenly blended, pour it into a standard baking sheet (10 x 15) lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Allow cake to cool.

For the buttercream frosting … 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups + 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted. The +1 cup is ready to use only if the mixture needs thickening.

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 tablespoon flavoring extract (Almond or Vanilla)

2 tablespoons milk.  (Can add +2 tablespoons if the mixture needs thinning.

Mix frosting ingredients together. Frost cake and decorate with Confetti Sprinkles.

Cheers to many more National Dessert Days!

(Images via cgerdes.blogspot.com and Shutterstock.)