# 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, 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, or chamomile
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - In a separate large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate eggs one at a time, blending well, then add vanilla extract.
04 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix gently until batter is just combined.
05 - Separate the batter evenly into three bowls. Add a different pastel shade of gel food coloring to each bowl, stirring gently to achieve gradient tones.
06 - Transfer colored batters to prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons milk or cream. Mix until fluffy, adding more milk for desired consistency. Divide frosting and tint each portion with pastel gel coloring.
08 - Level each cake layer as needed. Place one layer on serving plate, cover with buttercream, and repeat with remaining layers. Apply a crumb coat and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Frost cake, blending pastel colored buttercream for ombre effect.
09 - Arrange edible flowers over the cake immediately prior to serving.
