# What You 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, 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 - 3–4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
15 - Gel food coloring, pastel shades
→ Floral Topper
16 - 1 cup edible flowers, such as pansies, violas, roses, chamomile
# Directions:
01 - Set oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Add the flour mixture and milk in alternating additions to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Color each batch with a different pastel gel food coloring for a gradient effect. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
06 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk or cream. Beat until fluffy, adding more milk if necessary. Divide frosting into portions and tint with pastel gel food coloring as desired for ombre effect.
07 - Level cake layers if needed. Place first layer on serving plate, spread with buttercream, repeat with remaining layers. Apply crumb coat and chill for 15 minutes, then finish frosting, blending colored buttercream to create ombre effect.
08 - Arrange edible flowers on top just before serving.
