Best High-Altitude Birthday Cake

Ingredients

• 1.75 cups white sugar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 0.67 cups unsalted butter , room temperature
• 5 large eggs , room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 0.75 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 pinches salt
• 2.25 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the bottoms and sides of the pans, making sure to remove excess flour.

2. 2

   Beat 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until well incorporated.

3. 3

   Sift together flour, 1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

4. 4

   Mix milk, vanilla, and almond extract together in a third bowl.

5. 5

   Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture; blend well. Evenly distribute batter between the 2 prepared cake pans.

6. 6

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove cakes from the oven; let sit for 5 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks before removing cakes from the pans.