Description
A small two-layer vanilla cake with strawberry filling, pastel vintage piping, and buttercream ghosts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp (6 g) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (100 g without shells)
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) almond extract, optional
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1/3 cup (105 g) seedless strawberry spread
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened, for frosting
- 3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, for frosting
- 1/8 tsp (0.6 ml) blush-pink gel color
- 1/8 tsp (0.6 ml) lavender gel color
- 1 oz (28 g) dark chocolate, melted
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pans.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the milk.
- Divide between the pans and bake for 20–24 minutes, until the centers spring back. Cool completely.
- Beat the frosting butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually, then heavy cream and vanilla. Reserve portions for blush, lavender, and ivory piping.
- Place one layer on a 7-inch board. Pipe an ivory frosting dam, spread strawberry filling inside it, and add the second layer.
- Apply a thin crumb coat and chill for 20 minutes. Add a smooth ivory outer coat, then pipe pastel shell borders and dots.
- Pipe three small ivory ghosts on top. Chill for 10 minutes, then add two tiny dark-chocolate eyes to each ghost.
Notes
For clean pastel colors, use gel coloring sparingly and mix each shade completely before adding more.