# 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)
# Method:
01 - Preheat 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 sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Incorporate vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture in three stages, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Tint each with blue gel food coloring for a gradient from light to dark blue.
07 - Pour each colored batter into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Mix in vanilla, salt, and enough milk or cream for 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 each cake layer as needed. Place darkest blue layer on serving plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream, stack next lighter layer, and repeat with final layer.
11 - Cover cake with a thin layer of reserved plain buttercream and chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost cake smoothly with dark blue buttercream. Optional: blend lighter blue buttercream at the top for ombre effect. Apply edible gold leaf or brush gold dust (mixed with clear alcohol) in decorative streaks or edges.
13 - Chill cake until ready to serve.
