Pisces Birthday Cake Ombre (Printable)

Vanilla sponge layers with vibrant ocean-inspired blue ombre buttercream frosting.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vanilla Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp salt
04 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Ocean Blue Ombre Frosting

09 - 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup whole milk, plus more as needed
12 - 2 tsp 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

# Directions:

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 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
05 - Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and salt. Beat in milk incrementally until frosting reaches smooth, spreadable consistency.
10 - Divide frosting into 4 bowls and tint each with blue gel food coloring, creating a gradient ranging from pale to deep ocean blue.
11 - Place first cake layer on serving plate. Spread with thin layer of lightest blue frosting. Repeat with remaining layers.
12 - Using an offset spatula, frost sides and top of cake, starting with lightest shade at top and gradually transitioning to deepest blue at base. Blend where colors meet for seamless ombre effect.
13 - Embellish with white chocolate seashells, edible glitter, and sprinkles as desired.
14 - Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes before slicing for optimal texture and presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ombre frosting looks like you hired a professional baker, but it's surprisingly forgiving once you understand the blending trick.
  • Three layers of moist vanilla cake means this actually tastes as beautiful as it looks, with no dry crumbles undermining your masterpiece.
  • Gel food coloring keeps the frosting thick and spreadable instead of turning it into sweet soup like liquid dyes do.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk aren't just a suggestion—they emulsify properly with the butter, creating a silky batter that bakes into a tender crumb instead of a dense sponge.
  • Sifting powdered sugar before mixing into the frosting prevents grittiness that will show up when you spread it; I learned this the hard way by serving slightly gritty frosting to my sister's entire book club.
  • Gel food coloring is non-negotiable for this recipe because liquid coloring thins the frosting to near-soup consistency, making ombre blending impossible.
  • If your cake layers are doming on top, level them with a serrated knife before stacking—uneven layers won't frost smoothly and the whole structure becomes precarious.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about the ombre blending, do a practice run with regular frosting and food coloring on a plate first—once you understand how colors merge, the actual cake becomes much less intimidating.
  • Simple syrup brushed on warm cake layers before frosting adds moisture that keeps the cake tender through the next day and makes slices feel less dry when served at room temperature.
  • A lemon zest addition to the batter adds brightness that prevents the vanilla from feeling one-dimensional and complements blue frosting in an unexpected, sophisticated way.
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