Pisces Birthday Ocean Blue (Print Version)

A moist vanilla layer cake topped with a beautiful blue ombre frosting and delicate ocean-inspired decorations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vanilla Cake

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1.75 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Ocean Blue Ombre Frosting

09 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 0.25 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Blue gel food coloring in various shades
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

15 - White chocolate seashells or pearls
16 - Edible glitter or shimmer dust
17 - Blue and silver toned sprinkles

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Smooth tops with an offset spatula.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and salt. Beat in milk incrementally until frosting reaches smooth, spreadable consistency.
10 - Divide frosting into four bowls. Tint each with blue gel food coloring, creating a progression from pale blue to deep ocean blue.
11 - Place first cake layer on serving plate. Spread thin layer of lightest blue frosting. Repeat with remaining layers.
12 - Frost sides and top of cake using an offset spatula. Start with lightest shade at top, gradually transition to deepest blue at base, blending colors where they meet for seamless ombre effect.
13 - Top cake with white chocolate seashells, edible glitter, and blue and silver sprinkles as desired.
14 - Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes before slicing for optimal presentation and structure.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The ombre frosting technique looks intimidating but honestly feels like meditation once you get the rhythm of blending those blues together.
  • Vanilla sponge is your secret weapon because it stays moist, doesn't fight the decorations, and lets the frosting be the real star of the show.
  • You get to feel like a professional baker without needing professional skills, which is the best kind of kitchen magic.
02 -
  • Don't rush the cooling step—I learned this the hard way when I tried to frost a warm cake and watched the frosting slide off like it had somewhere better to be.
  • Gel food coloring is truly non-negotiable for this particular cake because liquid coloring turns your frosting into soup, and ombre frosting soup defeats the entire purpose.
  • The blending between color layers happens with an offset spatula and a light touch, almost like you're painting rather than frosting, and that's the difference between beautiful and chaotic.
03 -
  • Use a turntable when frosting if you have one, because it lets you rotate the cake smoothly while you blend colors instead of contorting your arms and losing the ombre magic.
  • A small offset spatula dipped in warm water works beautifully for blending frosting colors, and you'd be surprised how much easier it makes the whole process feel.
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