# Ingredient List:
→ 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 shades)
→ 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)
# Steps:
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 together in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and blend until combined.
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 into three bowls. Tint each portion with blue food coloring for graduated shades from light to dark blue.
07 - Pour each colored batter into the prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat butter until creamy with an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. Blend in vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and enough milk or cream to achieve a spreadable consistency.
09 - Reserve one cup of buttercream for crumb coat. Tint remaining buttercream with dark blue gel coloring for the final coat.
10 - Level cake layers as needed. Place darkest blue layer on serving plate and spread buttercream on top. Stack next lighter blue layer, repeat. Top with lightest blue layer.
11 - Spread a thin layer of reserved plain buttercream as a crumb coat over the entire cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Smoothly coat the cake with dark blue buttercream. Blend lighter blue tones toward the top for an ombre effect if desired.
13 - Apply edible gold leaf or brush gold dust mixed with clear alcohol in decorative streaks or at the cake edges.
14 - Chill the finished cake until ready to serve.
