# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
10 - Gel food coloring in pastel pink, yellow, green, or blue
→ Buttercream Frosting
11 - 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
12 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
14 - 3–4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
15 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades
→ Floral Topper
16 - 1 cup edible flowers such as pansies, violas, roses, or chamomile
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and airy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one by one, ensuring thorough blending after each addition. Stir in pure vanilla extract.
04 - Alternately add the flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix gently until just incorporated to avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Tint each portion with a unique pastel hue using gel food coloring, stirring lightly to achieve a gentle gradient.
06 - Transfer each colored batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Beat unsalted butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, followed by pure vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream. Continue beating until fluffy, adding additional milk if needed. Divide the frosting and tint each portion in pastel shades to match cake layers.
08 - Level cooled cake layers if necessary. Place the first layer on a serving plate, spread with buttercream, and repeat with remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill for 15 minutes, then frost the assembled cake, blending pastel frostings for an ombre effect.
09 - Arrange edible flowers atop the cake immediately before serving to preserve freshness.
