Coquette 26th Birthday Cake

A Soft, Blush-Pink Vintage Lace Celebration Cake

This Coquette 26th Birthday Cake is inspired directly by the delicate, romantic style you see in the photo: soft pastel pink, ornate lace piping, cascading pearls, and lush fondant roses. It’s the ultimate easy healthy recipe–inspired treat for bakers who want something show-stopping yet graceful, perfect as a fall dinner idea centerpiece or for any elegant birthday celebration. The flavor profile is a tender vanilla-almond sponge layered with silky strawberry buttercream, while the decoration leans into the trending coquette aesthetic—feminine, vintage, and effortlessly dreamy. With clear steps and approachable techniques, even beginners can create this luxurious, Parisian-inspired cake at home.

Time Breakdown

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Decoration Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 18–22 slices (two-tier cake)

Ingredients

Vanilla-Almond Cake Layers (Two Tiers)

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Strawberry Buttercream

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tbsp strawberry jam
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3–4 tbsp milk, as needed

Decorations

• Blush pink fondant
• White fondant
• Food-safe gold paint or edible gold dust
• Pink gel food coloring
• Piping royal icing (white)
• Piping tips: small round & small star
• Edible sugar pearls
• Fondant roses (handmade or store-bought)

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.

• Mixing bowls
• Electric mixer
• Cake pans (6-inch and 8-inch rounds)
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Offset spatula
• Serrated knife
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Cake turntable (optional but helpful)
• Piping bags and small piping tips

Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line both your 6-inch and 8-inch cake pans with parchment.
2. Cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
4. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, until the batter becomes smooth and velvety.
7. Divide the batter among the pans and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let cakes cool completely before leveling each layer with a serrated knife.
9. Prepare the frosting by beating butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Mix in strawberry jam, vanilla, and milk until smooth and spreadable.
10. Frost the layers of each tier, then apply a smooth crumb coat followed by a final, polished buttercream layer.
11. Roll out blush pink fondant for the bottom tier and white fondant for the top tier. Cover each cake, smoothing the edges.
12. Stack the tiers securely, using support dowels inside the bottom tier.
13. Pipe lace details using white royal icing, following the decorative patterns seen in the photo—delicate arches, tiny pearls, and small filigree accents.
14. Attach sugar pearls to create draped pearl garlands around the edges.
15. Paint the word “Coquette” on the top tier using edible gold paint.
16. Arrange fondant roses around the top and base of the cake for a soft, romantic finish.

Pro Tips

• Fondant Work: Lightly dust your rolling pin and surface with cornstarch to prevent sticking.
• Flavor Variations: The cake also works beautifully with raspberry or cherry filling for a deeper pink tone.
• Storage: Refrigerate the cake overnight in a cake box; bring to room temperature before slicing.
• Make-Ahead: Bake the cake layers a day in advance and decorate the next day for easier assembly.

Nutrition Table

Conclusion

This Coquette 26th Birthday Cake captures the delicate, vintage charm of the coquette trend with its soft pink palette, ornate lace piping, and romantic fondant roses. Inspired directly by the cake in your image, it delivers a blend of beauty and flavor perfect for milestone birthdays, elegant gatherings, or anyone who loves feminine, aesthetic desserts. With its graceful details and delicious layers, it’s the kind of cake that turns a celebration into a keepsake moment.

Coquette 26th Birthday Cake

This enchanting two-tier cake features a tender vanilla-almond sponge with silky strawberry buttercream, adorned with blush pink fondant, lace piping, and fondant roses, perfect for elegant celebrations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Celebration, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Servings 20 slices

Calories 380 kcal

Ingredients

  

Vanilla-Almond Cake Layers

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Strawberry Buttercream

• 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tbsp strawberry jam
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 tbsp milk, as needed to achieve desired consistency

Decorations

• blush pink fondant
• white fondant
• food-safe gold paint or edible gold dust
• pink gel food coloring
• piping royal icing (white)
• piping tips: small round & small star
• edible sugar pearls
• fondant roses (handmade or store-bought)

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line both your 6-inch and 8-inch cake pans with parchment.
• Cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
• Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
• In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, until the batter becomes smooth and velvety.
• Divide the batter among the pans and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let cakes cool completely before leveling each layer with a serrated knife.

Frosting

• Prepare the frosting by beating butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Mix in strawberry jam, vanilla, and milk until smooth and spreadable.
• Frost the layers of each tier, then apply a smooth crumb coat followed by a final, polished buttercream layer.

Decoration

• Roll out blush pink fondant for the bottom tier and white fondant for the top tier. Cover each cake, smoothing the edges.
• Stack the tiers securely, using support dowels inside the bottom tier.
• Pipe lace details using white royal icing, following the decorative patterns seen in the photo—delicate arches, tiny pearls, and small filigree accents.
• Attach sugar pearls to create draped pearl garlands around the edges.
• Paint the word 'Coquette' on the top tier using edible gold paint.
• Arrange fondant roses around the top and base of the cake for a soft, romantic finish.

Notes

Pro Tips: Lightly dust your rolling pin and surface with cornstarch to prevent sticking. The cake also works beautifully with raspberry or cherry filling for a deeper pink tone. Refrigerate the cake overnight in a cake box; bring to room temperature before slicing. Bake the cake layers a day in advance and decorate the next day for easier assembly.

Keyword Birthday Cake, Celebration Cake, Fondant Cake, Strawberry Buttercream, Vintage Cake