Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened1-1/4 cups sugar3 large eggs, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon salt1 cup 2% milkFROSTING:1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened1 cup confectioners’ sugar2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 cups heavy whipping creamBlue and pink paste food coloring
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease and flour paper.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in each center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely.
Place a large bowl and beaters in freezer until cold, about 15 minutes. In chilled bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in cream until firm peaks form. Tint 1-1/4 cups blue and 1/4 cup pink (switch measurements if it’s a girl), and leave remaining frosting white.
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Pipe a circle of white frosting around top edge of layer. Spread 1 cup blue (or pink if it’s a girl) frosting inside white frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with white frosting. Using a #8 tip and white frosting, pipe pearls around top and bottom edges of cake. Using a #12 tip, pipe blue and pink dots over cake. With a #4 tip and pink frosting, add “It’s a … " to top of cake. Refrigerate until serving.
