# Required ingredients:
→ Cake Layers
01 - 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 and 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature
10 - Blue gel food coloring in navy, royal, and light blue
→ Vanilla Buttercream
11 - 1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
12 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
14 - 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream
15 - Pinch of salt
16 - Dark blue gel food coloring
→ Gold Decoration
17 - Edible gold leaf or edible gold dust
18 - 1 to 2 tablespoons clear alcohol, such as vodka or lemon extract, if using gold dust
# 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 in a medium mixing bowl.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture in three additions, starting and ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Tint each batch with blue gel food coloring to achieve a gradient from light to dark blue.
07 - Transfer each colored batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then release cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually blend in powdered sugar, then add vanilla, salt, and enough milk or cream to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
09 - Reserve 1 cup of buttercream for the crumb coat. Tint the remaining buttercream with dark blue gel food coloring for the final coat.
10 - Level cooled cake layers as needed. Place the darkest blue layer onto a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top, then stack the next lighter layer and repeat. Finish with the lightest blue layer on top.
11 - Apply a thin layer of reserved plain buttercream over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Chill the cake for 20 minutes.
12 - Smoothly frost the cake with dark blue buttercream. For an ombre look, blend lighter blue tones toward the top of the cake if desired.
13 - Apply edible gold leaf or brush gold dust, mixed with clear alcohol, onto the cake in decorative streaks or along the edges.
14 - Refrigerate the cake until ready for presentation. Slice and serve to guests.
