Spring Birthday Cake Pastel (Printable Version)

Tender vanilla cake with creamy pastel floral buttercream layers, perfect for festive occasions and gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream

09 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Gel food coloring in pink, yellow, lavender, green, and blue

→ Decoration

15 - Edible flower petals
16 - Sprinkles

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth for 3 to 4 minutes.
10 - Divide buttercream into separate bowls and tint each portion with desired pastel gel food coloring.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of buttercream on top. Repeat with remaining layers.
12 - Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
13 - Decorate the cake with pastel buttercreams using piping bags fitted with various tips to create floral designs. Garnish with edible petals or sprinkles as desired.
14 - Chill for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to set the buttercream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The vanilla cake is impossibly tender and stays moist for days, making it actually worth the effort of a three-layer cake.
  • Pastel buttercream is forgiving enough that imperfect piping somehow looks intentional and charming.
  • You can make this ahead in stages, which means the stress melts away and you get to enjoy the decorating part instead of panicking.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are absolutely essential; I once used cold eggs straight from the fridge and ended up with a batter that looked curdled and lumpy until I kept beating it, but the resulting cake was denser than it should have been.
  • Don't skip the crumb coat step even though it feels like an extra step; that thin first layer of buttercream catches all the loose crumbs so your final decorative layer stays pristine and professional-looking.
03 -
  • If you only have two cake pans, let one cool completely, wash it, dry it thoroughly, and reuse it for the third layer; just add a few minutes to your total time and make sure each pan is completely cool before pouring new batter.
  • The secret to smooth buttercream is beating it longer than you think necessary; those extra minutes transform it from grainy to cloud-like and make piping infinitely easier and more satisfying.
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