Spring Birthday Cake Pastel (Printable Version)

Vanilla cake layered with creamy buttercream and pastel floral decorations for a festive spring celebration.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 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 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1/4 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

# Step-by-Step:

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 together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Distribute batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges 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, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
10 - Divide buttercream into separate bowls and tint each with desired pastel gel food coloring.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread buttercream on top. Repeat with remaining layers.
12 - Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake and chill for 20 minutes.
13 - Using piping bags fitted with assorted tips, apply pastel buttercream to create floral designs. Garnish with edible petals or sprinkles if desired.
14 - Chill cake for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to set the buttercream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla base is genuinely tender and buttery without being heavy, which means you can actually enjoy multiple slices without feeling weighed down.
  • Pastel buttercream lets you customize the whole vibe—match your party theme or just make it as whimsical as you feel that day.
  • Three layers look impressive but the technique is straightforward enough that even a medium-difficulty baker walks away feeling accomplished.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are genuinely non-negotiable for this cake—I learned this the hard way when I used cold eggs once and ended up with a grainy batter and a dense final product.
  • Overmixing the batter after you add the flour is the quickest way to turn a tender cake into something tough and gummy, so stop mixing as soon as you don't see dry flour streaks.
  • If you only have two cake pans, bake in batches by reusing the pans after they cool completely; the layers will bake evenly and your cake will still look stunning.
03 -
  • If your buttercream seems too soft after coloring, chill it for 10 minutes before piping—temperature matters more than you'd think.
  • Use a bench scraper or offset spatula to smooth the sides of your crumb coat for professional-looking edges that make the cake feel gallery-worthy.
  • Keep a damp cloth nearby while decorating to clean your piping tips between colors, so the pastels stay true and don't muddy into each other.
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