Perfect Birthday Cake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 12x18x2-inch cake pan with cooking spray.

Step 2

Combine sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the mixing bowl sides. Add vanilla bean paste and almond extract. Mix well.

Step 3

Sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Combine milk, cream, and half-and-half in a measuring cup.

Step 4

Alternate adding sifted cake flour mixture and liquids to the creamed sugar mixture, 4 to 5 times, until everything is well combined and batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and loosely cover with a piece of foil.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Decorate with frosting of your choice.