Graduation Cake Floral Gold (Print View)

Elegant vanilla sponge layered with Swiss meringue buttercream, adorned with edible flowers and gold leaf for a stunning finish.

# Components:

→ Vanilla Sponge Cake

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Swiss Meringue Buttercream

09 - 5 large egg whites
10 - 1.25 cups granulated sugar
11 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

14 - Edible gold leaf sheets
15 - Assorted edible flowers such as pansies, violets, and roses
16 - Food-safe paintbrush
17 - Gold ribbon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Combine egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160°F, approximately 5 minutes.
10 - Transfer to a stand mixer and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes.
11 - Reduce speed to medium, add butter a few cubes at a time, mixing until smooth. Add vanilla extract and salt.
12 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers. Cover with a thin crumb coat, chill for 20 minutes, then apply a final smooth layer of buttercream.
13 - Carefully apply edible gold leaf to sections of the cake using a food-safe paintbrush.
14 - Arrange edible flowers decoratively on the cake. Add a gold ribbon around the base if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you hired a professional baker, but you did it yourself in your own kitchen with ingredients you already trust.
  • The Swiss meringue buttercream is silkier and more stable than you'd expect, holding up beautifully through assembly and decoration without ever feeling heavy on the palate.
02 -
  • Your egg whites must be completely free of any yolk, because even one speck will prevent them from whipping properly and you'll end up with a weepy, broken buttercream that's impossible to fix.
  • Don't skip cooling the cake layers completely before frosting, because a warm cake will melt your buttercream and create a sliding, unstable structure that falls apart when you try to stack it.
03 -
  • Invest in an offset spatula for frosting—it's a small tool that makes the difference between a cake that looks homemade and one that looks like it came from a bakery counter.
  • If your buttercream breaks when you add the butter, don't panic; keep mixing and it will come together, though you can also gently warm the bowl by holding it over steam for a few seconds if it's taking too long.
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