# What You Need:
→ Cake Layers
01 - 2 3/4 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, at room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature
10 - Blue gel food coloring (navy, royal, and light blue)
→ Vanilla Buttercream
11 - 1 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 (vodka or lemon extract, if using gold dust)
# How to Make:
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, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among three bowls. Tint each batch with blue gel food coloring to create a gradient from light to dark blue.
07 - Pour each colored batter into a prepared pan and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - In a bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla, salt, and 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream for a spreadable consistency.
10 - Reserve 1 cup of plain buttercream for crumb coat. Tint remaining buttercream with dark blue gel coloring for final coating.
11 - Level each cooled cake layer if needed. Place the darkest layer on a serving plate, spread with buttercream, then stack the next lighter layer and repeat. Finish with the lightest layer on top.
12 - Spread a thin crumb coat of reserved plain buttercream over the entire cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
13 - Frost the chilled cake smoothly with dark blue buttercream. Blend in lighter blue tones towards the top for an ombre effect if desired.
14 - Apply edible gold leaf or brush gold dust (mixed with clear alcohol) in decorative streaks or along cake edges.
15 - Chill the cake until ready to serve.
