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.
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.