High School Graduation Cake (Printer-Friendly)

Rich vanilla sponge with buttercream, gold foil accents, and a diploma topper for festive occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 - 3-4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Decorations

14 - Edible gold foil sheets
15 - 1 diploma-shaped cake topper
16 - Sprinkles or star confetti, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter on high speed until creamy and pale, approximately 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla, salt, and enough milk to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
10 - Level cooled cakes if necessary. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on top, then place second layer over it.
11 - Apply a thin crumb coat layer of frosting around the cake. Chill for 30 minutes.
12 - Frost cake smoothly with remaining buttercream.
13 - Using tweezers, carefully apply edible gold foil sheets to desired areas on the cake for a luxurious appearance.
14 - Place the diploma topper at the center or side of the cake. Add sprinkles or confetti if desired.
15 - Chill briefly to set, then serve at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The vanilla sponge is impossibly tender and stays moist for days, so you can bake it ahead without stress.
  • Buttercream frosting is forgiving and looks polished even if your piping skills are shaky, plus it tastes like birthday happiness.
  • Edible gold foil transforms a simple cake into something that photographs beautifully and feels luxurious without requiring a culinary degree.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional, cold eggs and milk won't incorporate smoothly and you'll end up with a grainy batter that bakes into a dense cake instead of a tender one.
  • Don't skip the crumb coat step, I skipped it once and ended up with frosting-covered cake crumbs all over my final layer and spent 20 minutes carefully picking them out with tweezers.
03 -
  • Make the cake layers a day ahead and store them wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature, this actually helps them stay moist and they're easier to frost when they're not completely fresh and fragile.
  • If you want to add school colors to the frosting, use gel food coloring rather than liquid because it won't change the consistency of your frosting, add it drop by drop until you reach the color you want.
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