Creating a beautiful buttercream flower cake is an art that can bring joy to any occasion. This cake, made from tender vanilla layers and a smooth, rich buttercream, is perfect for celebrations or as a sweet treat.

The combination of vibrant buttercream flowers with a soft, flavorful cake makes for an unforgettable dessert. Below, we'll guide you step-by-step through the process of making this stunning buttercream flower cake from scratch.

Ingredients for a Perfect Buttercream Flower Cake

Before you begin, gather the ingredients for both the vanilla cake and the buttercream frosting. The cake itself requires simple ingredients: unsalted butter, sugar, egg whites, cake flour, baking powder, sour cream, and vegetable oil. The vanilla buttercream frosting needs unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and some food coloring in pink, purple, yellow, and green to make those gorgeous flower designs.

Baking the Fluffy Vanilla Cake

To start, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by lining them with parchment paper and greasing the sides. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take around 2 minutes. Next, add the egg whites and mix until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, then divide the batter equally among the prepared pans. Bake for 34–36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in their pans, then transfer them to the freezer for 45 minutes to speed up the cooling process. Once fully cooled, level the tops of each cake layer with a serrated tool.

How to Pipe Buttercream Flowers - Piping tutorial! | Georgia's Cakes

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Making the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers are cooling, it's time to make the frosting. In a stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter until it becomes light and creamy. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Once combined, add heavy cream to achieve the desired consistency. If you prefer a pale pink frosting, add a little gel food coloring.

Set aside the frosting, covering it with plastic wrap to keep it from hardening. If the frosting becomes too thick, simply add more cream, a tablespoon at a time, until it's smooth and spreadable.

Assembling the Buttercream Flower Cake

Once the cake layers have chilled, spread a thin layer of frosting on a greaseproof cake board or plate. Place the first cake layer on top. Spread a thick, even layer of frosting, then repeat with the other layers, flipping the top layer upside down to help with smooth frosting.

Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes until the frosting firms up. Next, apply a second thick layer of frosting around the entire cake and smooth it out using an offset spatula and a bench scraper.

Creating Buttercream Flowers

To make the flowers, divide the frosting into four bowls and color each one with pink, purple, yellow, or green gel food coloring. Use a flower nail and parchment paper squares to pipe the flowers. Using a petal tip, pipe swirl roses, while using a grass tip and a C-shaped piping tip to create chrysanthemums. Freeze the flowers for 5 minutes to firm them up.

Once the flowers are set, remove them from the parchment paper and arrange them on top of the cake. Fill in any gaps with green buttercream leaves and flower buds. Your beautiful buttercream flower cake is now ready to impress!

Tips for the Perfect Buttercream Flower Cake

• Always use room-temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.

• Be sure to properly measure your flour to ensure the right cake consistency.

• Chill the cake layers before assembling to minimize crumbling and make stacking easier.

• Use gel food coloring for bright, vibrant buttercream without affecting the frosting's texture.

• If your hands are warm, use a paper towel around your piping bag to prevent the frosting from melting.