High School Graduation Cake (Printable Version)

Rich vanilla sponge with creamy buttercream, gold foil accents, and a diploma topper for an elegant celebration.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ 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 - 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 - 3 to 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

# Preparation 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 until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly between 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 - Beat softened 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 the second layer over it.
11 - Apply a thin crumb coat layer of frosting around the entire cake. Chill for 30 minutes.
12 - Frost cake smoothly with remaining buttercream, creating an even, polished surface.
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 the frosting and decorations, then serve at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a bakery cake but tastes infinitely better because your hands made it and your heart went into every layer.
  • The gold foil transforms a simple vanilla cake into something that photographs like you spent all day on it, when really you just got a little creative with the decorating.
  • You can customize the colors and flavors to match the graduate's personality, making it feel genuinely theirs instead of generic.
02 -
  • Cold ingredients—especially eggs and milk—will make your batter look separated and curdled; always bring them to room temperature first, which takes 30 minutes sitting on the counter but makes all the difference.
  • Edible gold foil is incredibly delicate and will stick to damp hands, so either use dry hands and tweezers or watch a quick video on application first so you don't waste precious pieces learning as you go.
  • Overmixing the batter after you've added the flour is the number one way to end up with a tough, dense cake instead of a tender one—mix until everything is just barely combined, no more.
03 -
  • Make your diploma topper from fondant the day before if you want it to be fully edible—it gives you time to let it dry slightly so it stays where you place it instead of sliding around on wet frosting.
  • If edible gold foil feels too fancy or intimidating, gold luster dust brushed onto the frosting with a dry brush looks almost as luxe and is much more forgiving to apply.
  • Invest in a good offset spatula; it changes the entire frosting experience and makes you look like you actually know what you're doing even if you're making this cake for the first time.
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