# 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 in 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 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 Steps:
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 flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - Beat butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the wet mixture in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly into three bowls. Color each with blue gel food coloring to create light, medium, and dark blue gradients.
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.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter for the buttercream until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla, salt, and sufficient milk or cream for desired consistency.
10 - Reserve 1 cup buttercream for crumb coat. Tint remaining buttercream with dark blue gel food coloring.
11 - Level each cooled cake layer if necessary. Stack layers beginning with the darkest blue, spreading buttercream between each.
12 - Apply a thin layer of reserved plain buttercream over the entire cake. Chill for 20 minutes to set.
13 - Frost the chilled cake with dark blue buttercream, blending lighter tones toward the top for an ombre finish as desired.
14 - Apply edible gold leaf or brush gold dust mixed with clear alcohol along edges or in decorative streaks on the cake surface.
15 - Refrigerate cake until ready to present and serve.
