# 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)
→ 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)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until blended.
03 - Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl or stand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add dry ingredient mixture and milk to the batter in three portions, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until smooth.
06 - Divide batter evenly among three bowls. Tint each portion with varying shades of blue gel coloring for an ombre effect.
07 - Transfer colored batters to 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 invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing thoroughly. Blend in vanilla extract, salt, and enough milk or cream to achieve a spreadable texture.
09 - Reserve 1 cup of buttercream for crumb coating. Tint the remaining buttercream dark blue using gel food coloring.
10 - Level each cake layer if needed. Set the darkest blue layer onto a serving plate and spread a thin layer of buttercream. Stack the next lighter blue layer and repeat. Finish with the lightest layer on top.
11 - Cover the assembled cake with a thin layer of reserved plain buttercream. Chill cake for 20 minutes.
12 - Spread dark blue buttercream evenly over the cake. Create ombre by blending lighter blue shades toward the top as desired.
13 - Apply edible gold leaf or brush gold dust mixed with clear alcohol in decorative streaks or along edges on the cake surface.
14 - Refrigerate the finished cake until ready to serve.
