Simple Two-Tier Vanilla Cake (Printable)

Moist two-tier vanilla sponge layered with smooth buttercream and topped with playful balloon decorations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vanilla Sponge Cakes

01 - 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 2.5 cups granulated sugar
05 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 8 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 2 cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 0.5 cup whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Gel food coloring, optional

→ Decoration

15 - Balloon cake toppers
16 - Edible confetti or sprinkles, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans and two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Distribute batter evenly between 8-inch and 6-inch pans. Tap pans gently to release air bubbles.
07 - Bake 8-inch cakes for 35 to 40 minutes and 6-inch cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Mix in vanilla, salt, and milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food coloring if desired.
10 - Level cake tops if needed. Place one 8-inch layer on a cake board, spread buttercream, top with second 8-inch cake. Repeat process for 6-inch cakes.
11 - Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream to each cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost cakes smoothly with remaining buttercream. Stack 6-inch cake tier centered on top of 8-inch tier, using dowels or straws for support if needed.
13 - Top with balloon cake toppers and edible confetti or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The vanilla sponge stays incredibly moist for days, so you can bake it a day ahead and actually sleep the night before the party.
  • Buttercream frosting is forgiving enough that small imperfections look intentional once you add those balloon toppers.
  • Two-tier cakes impress everyone without being nearly as complicated as they look.
02 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients are not a suggestion; cold eggs and butter will cause your batter to separate, and you'll spend the rest of the baking time wondering where it all went wrong.
  • The crumb coat isn't extra work, it's insurance against a frosted cake that looks sloppy no matter how hard you try to smooth it.
  • Wooden dowels inserted into the bottom tier before stacking are the difference between an Instagram-worthy cake and one that collapses under the weight of its own top half.
03 -
  • Bake this cake a full day ahead of the party; it tastes better once the crumb has settled, and you'll frost it when you're actually calm instead of rushed.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the frosting between applications so it stays spreadable and doesn't melt off the sides.
  • Invest in wooden dowels or thick straws specifically for tiered cakes; they cost almost nothing and prevent structural disasters that no amount of frosting can fix.
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