Two-Tier Graduation Cake (Printable)

Moist two-tier vanilla sponge layered with creamy buttercream and decorated with playful balloon toppers.

# What You 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 Make It:

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 until evenly distributed.
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 until fully combined.
05 - With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between the 8-inch and 6-inch cake 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 one 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 a layer of buttercream, top with the second 8-inch cake. Repeat process for the 6-inch cakes.
11 - Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream to each cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost cakes smoothly with remaining buttercream. Stack the 6-inch cake tier centered on top of the 8-inch tier, using dowels or straws for structural support if needed.
13 - Decorate with balloon toppers and edible confetti or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually delivers that wow moment when you carry it into a room and watch people's faces light up.
  • The vanilla sponge is impossibly moist and tender, nothing like the dense boxed-cake texture that tastes like cardboard memories.
  • Two tiers look impressively professional but the technique is totally manageable if you follow the cooling and stacking steps carefully.
  • You can tint the frosting any color scheme, making it feel custom to whoever you're celebrating.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they're the difference between a fluffy cake and a dense brick, and cold eggs will seize up your batter in ways that make you question your choices.
  • The crumb coat is tedious but absolutely essential; it catches all the loose crumbs so your final frosting layer looks pristine instead of speckled with cake debris.
  • Dowels are your friends when stacking; without them, the top tier will slowly sink into the bottom layer throughout the party, turning your elegant two-tier into a leaning tower of defeat.
03 -
  • Chill your frosting slightly before applying it to warm cakes; this prevents it from sliding around and gives you better control over the final appearance.
  • Use a bench scraper or a long offset spatula dipped in hot water to smooth out frosting swirls after you've applied it, creating that bakery-quality finish.
  • If you're nervous about stacking, use a cake dowel in the exact center as a guide before you position the top tier, and it'll slide on perfectly without wobbling.
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