# What you'll 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, room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
10 - Blue gel food coloring (navy, royal, and light blue shades)
→ Vanilla Buttercream
11 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, 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 It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each, then blend in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the dry mixture and milk to the creamed mixture in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until incorporated.
06 - Divide batter evenly among three bowls. Tint each with varying intensities of blue gel food coloring for an ombre effect.
07 - Transfer each colored batter to a prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat butter in a stand mixer until creamy. Gradually blend in powdered sugar, then add vanilla, salt, and enough milk or cream for a spreadable consistency.
09 - Reserve 1 cup of buttercream for the crumb coat. Tint remaining buttercream with dark blue gel color for final coating.
10 - Level cake layers if necessary. Place the darkest blue layer on the serving plate, add a layer of buttercream, and repeat with lighter layers.
11 - Spread a thin crumb coat of reserved buttercream over the cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost cake evenly with dark blue buttercream. Blend in lighter blue tones toward the top to achieve a graduated ombre effect.
13 - Decorate cake surface with edible gold leaf or brush gold dust mixed with clear alcohol on desired areas.
14 - Refrigerate the decorated cake until ready to serve.
