# 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, 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 - 3–4 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 - 1–2 tablespoons clear alcohol (vodka or lemon extract, if using gold dust)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients in three additions, starting and finishing with the flour. Mix just until combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Tint each with blue gel coloring for a gradient from light to dark blue.
07 - Pour each tinted batter into a prepared pan and smooth the tops.
08 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. Incorporate vanilla, salt, and enough milk or cream for a spreadable consistency.
10 - Reserve 1 cup of buttercream for the crumb coat. Tint the remaining buttercream with dark blue gel color for the final coat.
11 - Level cake layers if necessary. Place the darkest blue layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top, then stack the next lighter blue layer and repeat. Place the lightest layer on top.
12 - Apply a thin layer of reserved plain buttercream over the entire cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
13 - Frost the cake smoothly with dark blue buttercream. For ombre effect, blend in lighter blue tones toward the top 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 serving time.
