COOKIES THAT TASTE LIKE BIRTHDAY CAKE? YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT. THESE BIRTHDAY CAKE COOKIES ARE A PARTY ON A PLATE AND THEY USE THE SECRET INGREDIENT OF BUTTER EXTRACT TO GET THAT VANILLA PARTY CAKE FLAVOUR.

Rolled in multi-coloured rainbow sprinkles and filled with fluffy vanilla frosting, these cookies are as fun to bake as they are to eat.

Watch the full video here:

Watch Tarek make Birthday Cake Cookies in our preview video for this recipe here.

For the full recipe and method from our Life is Sweet cookbook, see below.

Birthday Cake Cookies

Birthday cake flavoured goodies are all the rage in America, from M&Ms to ice cream to cookies. This simply means that the resulting sweet treat tastes like a traditional American vanilla birthday cake. Adding the butter extract gives that 'cake' flavour to these cookies.

Makes 10-12 filled cookies or 20-24 unfilled

For the cookies:

120g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

200g (7oz) caster sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp butter extract (can be bought online)

190g (7oz) plain flour ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

130g (4 ½oz) sprinkles, plus 80g (3oz) extra for rolling

For the frosting (optional):

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

375g (13oz) icing sugar

2-3 tbsp whole milk

Piping bag

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Line three baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions. Mix in the butter extract. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed mixture, combining gradually on a low speed. Fold through the sprinkles.
4. Roll the dough into approximately 30g (1oz) tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 5cm (2in) between them. Bake for about 9 minutes. Make sure they do not brown and take them out once the tops are firm and the gloss has gone. Allow to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely while you make the frosting.
5. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter and vanilla together for about 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and creamy. Add the salt and beat for another minute.
6. Add the icing sugar a third at a time, on a low speed, and when it's mixed in, turn up the speed to medium. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, turning the speed to high and beating for at least 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Two tablespoons should be enough, but you may need one extra.
7. To assemble the cookies, put the frosting into a piping bag. Put the remaining 80g (3oz) sprinkles onto a flat tray or plate.
8. Pipe onto the bottom (flat side) of one of the cookies, starting at the edge and working inwards to the centre. Take another cookie and press the bottom (flat side) onto the frosting, sandwiching them together so a little of the frosting bulges out of the sides. Roll the exposed frosting onto the remaining sprinkles to decorate. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Recipe taken from Life is Sweet: 100 original recipes for happy home baking by Tarek Malouf and The Hummingbird Bakers (Fourth Estate, 2015)  

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