Two-Tier Vanilla Cake (Print version)

Moist vanilla sponge layered with creamy buttercream and topped with playful balloon decorations for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 for school colors

→ Decoration

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

# Cooking Steps:

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 evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together 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.
06 - Divide batter evenly between 8-inch and 6-inch cake pans. Tap pans gently on work surface 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 toothpick inserted in 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 until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food coloring if desired.
10 - Level cake tops if needed. Place one 8-inch layer on cake board, spread buttercream layer, top with second 8-inch cake. Repeat for 6-inch cakes.
11 - Apply thin layer of buttercream to each cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost cakes smoothly with remaining buttercream. Stack 6-inch cake tier centered on top of 8-inch tier, using dowels or straws for structural support if needed.
13 - Arrange balloon toppers on cake and add edible confetti or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla sponge stays impossibly moist for days, which means you can actually bake this ahead and breathe.
  • Buttercream frosting is forgiving enough that imperfect swirls somehow look intentionally rustic and charming.
  • Two tiers feel fancy and impressive, but the process is straightforward if you follow along without rushing.
  • Balloon toppers turn a homemade cake into something that looks professionally designed, no piping skills required.
02 -
  • Dowels or straws are absolutely essential if you're stacking, or your top tier will sink into the bottom one and ruin the whole effect in heartbreaking fashion.
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion—they're the difference between a smooth batter and a broken, grainy mess that bakes into a dense cake.
  • If your frosting gets too soft while you're working, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes instead of giving up, because it will firm right back up.
03 -
  • Chill your frosted, undecorated cakes for an hour before adding balloon toppers so everything stays firm and beautiful during transport.
  • If your balloon toppers feel flimsy, insert them into small dowels or straws pushed into the cake for stability that guests won't notice.
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