Retro Buttercream Cake

🛒 Ingredients (8″ round, 2 layers)

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream:

• 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2–3 tbsp milk or cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Food coloring (pastels or retro hues)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Bake the Cake
   • Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease two 8″ round pans.
   • Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
   • Stir in vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour.
   • Divide equally between pans and bake 22–25 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on racks.
2. Make Buttercream
   • Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well.
   • Add milk and vanilla, beating until smooth and spreadable.
   • Divide into bowls and tint with your chosen colors.
3. Assemble & Crumb Coat
   • Level cakes if needed.
   • Place one layer on a cake board or plate, add a layer of buttercream, top with second cake.
   • Crumb-coat with a thin layer of buttercream and chill for 20–30 minutes.
4. Retro Piping Decorations
   • Use a piping bag with star, petal, and round tips to create:
     • Shell borders (Star tip, e.g., #21)
     • Swags or draped scallops (Petal tip, e.g., #104)
     • Rope or dots (Round tip)
   • Pipe in tiers, cooling between colors/layers to set details
   • Top with buttercream flowers, fruit (like cherries), or vintage accents
5. Chill & Serve
   • Chill to set decorations.
   • Serve at room temperature for best flavor.