# Required ingredients:
→ Cake
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
→ Galaxy Buttercream
09 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Gel food coloring: black, navy blue, purple, pink, and teal
→ Decoration
14 - Edible gold and silver star sprinkles
15 - Edible glitter or luster dust
16 - White gel food coloring for stars and swirls
# 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 large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and allow to cool completely before assembly.
09 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy.
10 - Divide buttercream into four or five separate bowls. Tint each portion with a different galaxy color using gel food coloring: black, navy blue, purple, pink, and teal.
11 - Place random spoonfuls of each colored buttercream onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Roll up the plastic to form a log shape. Snip one end and transfer the log to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
12 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of galaxy buttercream over the top. Repeat with remaining layers.
13 - Apply a thin, even crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake surface. Chill for 20 minutes to set.
14 - Pipe and spread the remaining galaxy buttercream over the cake, using an offset spatula to create gentle, marbled swirls for an authentic galaxy effect.
15 - Using white gel food coloring and a food-safe paintbrush or splatter tool, flick on delicate stars across the cake surface in a random pattern.
16 - Garnish the cake with edible gold and silver star sprinkles and a light dusting of edible glitter or luster dust. Optionally add a graduation cap cake topper.
