This cake is all about romance and charm—soft white layers, blush-pink swirls, and delicate floral details that make everyone gasp before the first slice. It’s surprisingly simple to pull off, even if you’re not a pro baker. The vanilla cake is tender and lightly sweet, while the silky buttercream melts on the tongue.

Fresh flowers or piped rosettes add that dreamy garden-party look. Whether it’s for a birthday, shower, or just because, this cake feels like a celebration in itself.

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What Makes This Recipe So Good

Close-up detail: A slice of the finished white-and-pink ombré vanilla cake on a simple white desser

Light, fluffy crumb: The cake is soft and moist, with a classic vanilla flavor that pairs beautifully with floral notes.
Silky, stable buttercream: Swiss meringue buttercream gives a smooth finish that’s not overly sweet and pipes like a dream.
Elegant, achievable design: You’ll learn easy techniques—ombre pink, simple rosettes, and safe flower usage—for a bakery-worthy look.
Customizable flavor: Add a hint of rose or strawberry to the buttercream for a gentle floral or fruity twist.
Make-ahead friendly: The layers and frosting hold up well, making assembly stress-free.

What You’ll Need

For the Vanilla Cake:
- 2 3/4 cups (330 g) cake flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream, room temperature
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Pink gel food coloring (a little goes a long way)
- Optional: 1–2 tsp rose water or strawberry jam for flavor
For Decorating:
- Fresh, non-toxic flowers or food-safe artificial blooms (rosebuds, lisianthus, or ranunculus look lovely)
- Piping bags and a star tip (Wilton 1M or similar)
- Offset spatula and bench scraper
- Cake turntable (optional but helpful)
- Edible pearls or sprinkles (optional)

How to Make It

Cooking process: Overhead shot of the cake during decorating on a turntable—final smoothing of whi

Prep your pans: Grease and line two or three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Whisk dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar: Beat butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well, then add vanilla.
Add wet and dry: Mix milk and sour cream together. Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture.
Start and end with dry. Mix until just combined.
Bake the layers: Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 22–26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the centers spring back.
Cool in pans 10 minutes; then turn out onto racks to cool completely.
Make the Swiss meringue: Whisk egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a simmering pot (not touching water) until sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches warm-to-hot and feels smooth (about 160°F/71°C if using a thermometer). Remove from heat.
Whip to meringue: Beat the warm mixture on high until glossy, stiff peaks form and the bowl feels cool, 8–10 minutes.
Add butter: With mixer on medium, add butter a few cubes at a time. It may look curdled—keep mixing.
Add vanilla and salt. For a floral spin, mix in rose water or a spoonful of strained strawberry jam.
Color the buttercream: Set aside about one-third for white. Tint the rest pale pink with gel color.
For an ombre look, tint a small portion slightly deeper pink.
Level and fill: Level cooled cake layers if needed. Place the first layer on a board. Spread an even layer of pink buttercream.
Repeat with remaining layers.
Crumb coat: Apply a thin layer of white buttercream around the cake to lock in crumbs. Chill 20–30 minutes until set.
Final coat and smooth: Frost the cake with white buttercream on top and sides. For a pink ombre, add the pale pink around the bottom third and blend upward with a scraper.
Chill briefly.
Pipe rosettes: Fit a piping bag with a star tip and fill with darker pink. Pipe small rosettes along the top edge or cluster them on one side. Add a few white rosettes for contrast.
Add flowers safely: Wrap flower stems in floral tape or use food-safe stem covers.
Tuck them into the buttercream, avoiding direct stem-to-cake contact. Keep blooms minimal and airy.
Finishing touches: Add edible pearls or a dusting of sparkle. Chill 15 minutes to set, then bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Keeping It Fresh

Short term: Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Bring to room temp for 45–60 minutes before slicing.
Make-ahead: Wrap cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, then frost.
Flowers: Add fresh flowers the day you serve for the best look. Remove them before long-term storage.
Leftovers: Store slices in airtight containers.
They stay moist for 2–3 days in the fridge.

Final presentation: Three-quarter angle hero shot of the fully decorated celebration cake on a white

Health Benefits

Controlled sweetness: Swiss meringue buttercream is less sugary than American buttercream, which helps balance the cake.
Quality ingredients: Real butter, eggs, and milk provide protein and fat for satiety.
Portion mindfulness: A rich cake means smaller slices satisfy, especially with fresh fruit on the side.
Flex options: You can reduce sugar slightly in the cake or use reduced-sugar jam for the buttercream flavoring.

Pitfalls to Watch Out For

Overmixing the batter: This can toughen the cake. Mix until just combined once flour is added.
Warm buttercream woes: If your meringue is too warm when adding butter, the frosting can turn soupy. Keep mixing or chill the bowl briefly and whip again.
Too much food coloring: Gel color is strong.
Start tiny and build up to avoid neon pink.
Unsafe flowers: Not all flowers are edible or food-safe. Use non-toxic varieties and protect stems.
Dry layers: Overbaking dries the cake. Pull them as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe Variations

Strawberries and cream: Add a thin layer of sliced strawberries between layers and flavor the buttercream with strawberry jam.
Rose vanilla: Add 1–2 tsp rose water to the buttercream and garnish with edible rose petals.
Lemon blush: Zest one lemon into the batter and add 1–2 tbsp lemon juice to the buttercream.
Decorate with tiny daisies.
Raspberry swirl: Swirl raspberry puree into a portion of buttercream and pipe two-tone rosettes.
Gluten-free option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum. Check baking time a few minutes early.

Can I use American buttercream instead of Swiss meringue?

Yes. American buttercream is quicker and sweeter.

Use 1 cup butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 2–4 tbsp milk, and 1–2 tsp vanilla. Beat until fluffy and color as desired.

How do I get perfectly flat cake layers?

Use baking strips around your pans or lower the oven temperature to 335°F and bake a few minutes longer. Level the tops with a serrated knife once cooled.

Are fresh flowers safe on cakes?

Use non-toxic varieties, avoid pesticide-treated blooms, and wrap stems in floral tape or use food-safe picks.

Remove flowers before serving if they’re not edible.

What if my buttercream curdles or looks broken?

Keep whipping. If it’s too cold, warm the bowl slightly and beat again. If it’s too warm and soupy, chill 10 minutes and rewhip.

It almost always comes back together.

Can I make this as cupcakes?

Absolutely. Bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes. Pipe rosettes on top and add tiny blossoms or pearls for the same dreamy look.

How do I store the cake overnight if it’s decorated with flowers?

Refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes to set the buttercream, then loosely cover with a cake dome.

If using delicate blooms, add them the day you serve.

In Conclusion

This Dreamy White & Pink Floral Cake delivers soft vanilla layers, cloud-like buttercream, and a stunning finish that feels special without being fussy. With a few simple techniques, you can create a showstopper that tastes as lovely as it looks. Keep the colors soft, the rosettes simple, and the flowers safe—and enjoy every beautiful bite.