High School Graduation Cake (Printable)

A festive vanilla sponge with buttercream, decorated with gold foil and a diploma-shaped topper for special moments.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 - 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Decorations

14 - Edible gold foil sheets
15 - 1 diploma-shaped cake topper, store-bought or homemade fondant
16 - Sprinkles or star confetti, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat softened butter on high speed until creamy and pale, approximately 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla, salt, and enough milk to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
10 - Level cooled cakes if necessary. Place one layer on a serving plate, spread a thick layer of buttercream on top, then place second layer over it.
11 - Apply a thin crumb coat layer of frosting around the entire cake. Chill for 30 minutes.
12 - Frost cake smoothly with remaining buttercream.
13 - Using tweezers, carefully apply edible gold foil sheets to desired areas on the cake for a luxurious appearance.
14 - Place the diploma topper at the center or side of the cake. Add sprinkles or confetti if desired.
15 - Chill briefly to set, then serve at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla sponge is so tender and moist that it stays delicious even days later, if anyone has the willpower to keep it around that long.
  • The buttercream frosting strikes that perfect balance between rich and spreadable, never grainy or overly sweet.
  • Edible gold foil transforms a beautiful cake into something that feels genuinely celebratory without requiring professional decorating skills.
  • It's forgiving enough for home bakers but impressive enough to rival any bakery cake.
02 -
  • Edible gold foil requires completely dry hands or tweezers; any moisture causes it to stick to your fingers instead of the cake, and it tears easily so handle with patience.
  • The crumb coat step isn't optional—skipping it means loose crumbs will get dragged into your final frosting and ruin the smooth finish you worked toward.
03 -
  • Use a cake turntable when frosting; it lets you rotate smoothly and creates even, professional-looking results without the stress.
  • If your frosting breaks or gets too warm, chill it for 15 minutes and it'll come back together; never panic and just keep beating.
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