Two-Tier Vanilla Cake (Printable)

Moist two-tier vanilla sponge with creamy buttercream and festive balloon decorations.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Vanilla Sponge Cakes

01 - 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 2.5 cups granulated sugar
05 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 8 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 2 cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 0.5 cup whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Gel food coloring, optional

→ Decoration

15 - Balloon cake toppers
16 - Edible confetti or sprinkles, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans and two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the four prepared pans, filling each with equal amounts. Tap pans gently on the counter to release air bubbles.
07 - Bake 8-inch cakes for 35 to 40 minutes and 6-inch cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.
09 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food coloring if desired.
10 - Level cake tops if needed using a serrated knife. Place one 8-inch layer on a cake board, spread buttercream layer, top with second 8-inch cake. Repeat process with 6-inch cake layers.
11 - Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream to each cake tier using an offset spatula. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost both cake tiers smoothly with remaining buttercream. Stack the 6-inch cake tier centered on top of the 8-inch tier, using cake dowels or straws for structural support if needed.
13 - Place balloon toppers on the cake and add edible confetti or sprinkles as desired for festive presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla sponge is genuinely moist and tender, not one of those dry cake disasters that leave you reaching for extra frosting to choke it down.
  • Buttercream frosting tastes like actual butter, not that waxy store-bought stuff, and it pipes beautifully for decorating.
  • Two tiers look impressive enough to steal the show at any celebration without requiring you to be a professional baker.
  • Those balloon toppers turn a beautiful cake into a moment of pure joy that makes graduates feel genuinely special.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—cold eggs and butter will give you a lumpy, broken-looking batter that won't rise properly no matter how long you bake it.
  • The crumb coat step is the difference between a beautiful cake and one that looks like you frosted it in the dark; don't skip it even though it feels like extra work.
  • Dowels or straws in the bottom tier are absolutely essential if you're stacking; without them, you'll watch the top tier slowly sink and ruin your carefully frosted creation.
03 -
  • Make sure your mixer bowl and beaters are completely clean before beating butter and sugar; any oil residue will prevent the mixture from getting fluffy and pale.
  • If your frosting looks too soft after adding milk, chill it for 15 minutes before frosting the cake instead of trying to work with frosting that slides around like butter.
  • Invest in cake dowels or use hollow straws cut to the height of your bottom tier; this single step prevents your carefully decorated creation from becoming lopsided and sad mid-celebration.
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