Floral Gold Leaf Cake (Printer View)

An elegant vanilla sponge layered cake topped with silky buttercream, edible flowers, and gold leaf accents.

# What you'll need:

→ Vanilla Sponge Cake

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Swiss Meringue Buttercream

09 - 5 large egg whites
10 - 1.25 cups granulated sugar
11 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

14 - Edible gold leaf sheets
15 - Assorted edible flowers such as pansies, violets, and roses
16 - Food-safe paintbrush
17 - Gold ribbon, optional

# Method:

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, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 28 to 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 - Combine egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160°F, approximately 5 minutes.
10 - Transfer to a stand mixer and beat on high until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool to the touch, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
11 - Reduce speed to medium, add butter a few cubes at a time, mixing until smooth. Add vanilla and salt.
12 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers. Cover the cake with a thin crumb coat, chill for 20 minutes, then apply a final smooth layer of buttercream.
13 - Carefully apply edible gold leaf to sections of the cake using a food-safe paintbrush.
14 - Arrange edible flowers decoratively on the cake. Add a gold ribbon around the base if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Swiss meringue buttercream is impossibly smooth and doesn't taste overly sweet, so people actually want a second slice.
  • Gold leaf and edible flowers do the heavy lifting on presentation, making you look like a pastry chef without requiring ninja-level decorating skills.
  • Vanilla sponge cake stays tender for days, which means you can bake ahead and decorate when you have mental energy.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't optional here—they emulsify properly, which means smoother batter and better texture; cold ingredients lead to curdling and air pockets.
  • Swiss meringue buttercream can look broken and greasy partway through adding butter; keep mixing and it will come together, but going too slow with the butter prevents this from happening in the first place.
  • Edible flowers wilt quickly once they touch the buttercream, so add them as close to serving time as possible—even 30 minutes can make a difference.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about the Swiss meringue buttercream, know that it's actually more forgiving than American buttercream once you get the hang of it—the heating step eliminates food safety concerns, and the stability means your cake stays gorgeous for hours at room temperature.
  • Use an offset spatula dipped in hot water and wiped dry to smooth the buttercream; the heat helps it glide without dragging crumbs into the frosting and makes the finish look professional.
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