Print

Elegant Graduation Cake Recipe 5 Easy Steps for Buttercream Flowers

elegant graduation cake recipe - featured image
Print Recipe

An elegant restaurant-style graduation cake with moist vanilla sponge and rich buttercream flowers, perfect for celebrations and easy enough for beginners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (for consistency)
  • Food coloring gels (pink, green, yellow) for flower petals and leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
  6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
  8. For buttercream, beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed until combined.
  9. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons cream. Beat on high until fluffy, adding more cream if needed for piping consistency.
  10. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top and sides to crumb coat. Chill for 20 minutes to set.
  11. Divide remaining buttercream into bowls and add food coloring gels. Use piping bags fitted with petal tips to pipe buttercream flowers onto the cake, starting with petals then adding leaves.
  12. Let decorated cake rest in fridge so buttercream firms up before serving.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and milk for better batter consistency. Avoid margarine or spreads for butter. Chill buttercream if too runny and add cream if too stiff. Practice piping flowers on parchment paper before decorating the cake. Let the cake rest in the fridge after decorating to firm up buttercream flowers.

Nutrition

Keywords: graduation cake, buttercream flowers, vanilla cake, celebration cake, easy cake recipe, buttercream frosting, elegant cake

Find it online: https://yumbelle.com/elegant-graduation-cake-recipe-5-easy-steps-for-buttercream-flowers/