# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 3/4 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 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
12 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
14 - 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
15 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades to match cake layers
→ Floral Topper
16 - 1 cup edible flowers, such as pansies, violas, roses, or chamomile
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
03 - Beat butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Incorporate eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.
04 - Alternate the addition of dry mixture and milk into the creamed butter, starting and finishing with flour. Mix gently only to combine.
05 - Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Tint each portion with a distinct pastel color using gel food coloring to achieve a gradient effect, mixing gently.
06 - Transfer each tinted batter to its respective prepared pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Beat butter until creamy in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar, then blend in vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons milk or cream. Beat until fluffy, adding more milk as needed. Separate frosting into portions and tint as desired to create ombre pastel shades.
08 - Level cake layers if necessary. Position the first layer on a serving plate, spread with buttercream, and repeat with the remaining layers. Apply a crumb coat, chill for 15 minutes, then frost the cake, melding pastel shades for an ombre finish.
09 - Arrange edible flowers atop the cake immediately prior to serving.
