Graduation Celebration Layer Cake

This Graduation Cake is an impressive vanilla layer cake filled with buttercream and decorated to match your graduate’s school colors. Moist, fluffy, and crowd-pleasing, it’s the ultimate showstopper for your graduation party table. Whether you go simple or deck it out with custom toppers, this cake is a sweet way to say “Congrats, Grad!”

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 25–30 minutes

Assembly & Decor: 30–60 minutes

Total Time: ~2 hours (plus cooling)

Servings: Serves 12–16

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Cake:

2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup whole milk

For the Buttercream Frosting:

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2–4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Food coloring in school colors (gel preferred)

Instructions:

Bake the Cake Layers:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake pans.
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 mins). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.
Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk and milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients.
Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely on wire racks before assembling.

Make the Buttercream:

Beat butter until fluffy (3–5 mins).
Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add vanilla and enough cream to reach desired texture.
Divide and color frosting using gel food coloring to match your theme.

Assemble the Cake:

Level cake layers if needed. Spread frosting between each layer.
Apply a crumb coat (thin frosting layer), chill for 15 minutes, then frost the outside smoothly.
Decorate with colored piping, candy pearls, sprinkles, or custom grad toppers.

Decoration Ideas:

Use piped frosting rosettes in school colors around the top or base.
Add a "Congrats, [Name]!" message with a piping bag or candy letters.
Place a mini fondant or chocolate graduation cap on top.
Top with edible glitter or metallic dragees for sparkle.

Tips:

Bake the cake layers a day ahead for easier handling.
For extra flavor, add lemon zest or almond extract to the cake batter.
Don’t overmix the batter — mix just until ingredients are combined.

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🖨️ Printable recipe/ Download PDF