# The Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Vanilla Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Strawberry Buttercream
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
12 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Pink gel food coloring, optional for ombre effect
→ Assembly and Decoration
16 - Fresh strawberries, optional for garnish
17 - Edible glitter or sprinkles, optional
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl or using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and combine thoroughly.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.
09 - Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Mix in cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
10 - Divide buttercream into three bowls. Leave one plain. Tint the second bowl a light pink, and the third a deeper pink using gel food coloring.
11 - Place the darkest pink buttercream in a piping bag. Repeat with the medium and light pinks in separate bags.
12 - Level cake layers if necessary. Place first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with a layer of lightest buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers, using medium and dark buttercream as you stack.
13 - Spread the darkest pink buttercream around the bottom third of the cake, medium pink in the middle, and lightest pink on top. Smooth with an offset spatula or cake scraper to blend the colors slightly.
14 - Garnish with fresh strawberries and edible glitter or sprinkles if desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean layers.
