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Elegant pink princess birthday cake with gold crown topper

Vanilla Princess Castle Cake

A two-tier vanilla sponge cake with buttercream frosting and fondant castle decorations, perfect for a princess‑themed birthday celebration.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 8‑inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper
  • 2 6‑inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper
  • 1 Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments
  • 1 Offset Spatula for frosting
  • 1 Bench Scraper for smoothing frostin
  • 1 Cake turntable for decorating
  • 1 Rolling Pin for fondant
  • 1 piping bag for buttercrea
  • 8 sugar cones for castle turrets
  • 1 Cooling Rack for cakes

Ingredients
  

Cake Batter

  • 2 1/2 cups all‑purpose flour 312 g
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter softened 283 g
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 g
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk 240 ml

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened 340 g
  • 5 cups powdered sugar 600 g
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream 60 ml
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt
  • Gel food coloring pink, purple as needed

Fondant Decorations

  • 16  oz white fondant 454 g
  • Gold edible luster dust as needed
  • Edible pearls as needed
  • Pink fondant as needed for accents
  • Purple fondant for accents
  • 8 sugar cones for turrets

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cake pans with parchment.
  • In stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
    1 1/4 cups unsalted butter softened, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 4 large eggs, 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • In bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt; alternately add dry mix and milk to butter mixture, starting and ending with dry. Image Prompt 1
    2 1/2 cups all‑purpose flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup milk
    Stand mixer bowl with pale yellow cake batter and whisk attachment.
  • Divide batter evenly among pans and smooth tops; bake 25–30 min until toothpick comes out clean. Image Prompt 2
  • Cool cakes in pans 10 min, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
    Four cake pans filled with batter on an oven rack.
  • Trim domes off cakes to level tops.
  • Prepare buttercream: beat butter until smooth, gradually add powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, salt; divide and tint pink and purple.
    1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened, 5 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, Pinch salt, Gel food coloring
  • Place 8″ tier on turntable; pipe buttercream dam at edge, fill center, top with second layer; crumb‑coat and chill 30 min. Image Prompt 3
    Two‑tier cake on turntable with crumb coat of pale pink buttercream.
  • Apply final buttercream layer, smooth sides with bench scraper; chill 15 min. Image Prompt 4
    Bench scraper smoothing white buttercream on a two‑tier cake.
  • Roll out white fondant, cover bottom tier then top tier; smooth seams with hands.
    16  oz white fondant
  • Tint small fondant portions pink and purple; shape accents for windows and doors.
    Pink fondant, Gel food coloring
  • Brush sugar cones with water, dust with gold luster, attach as turrets atop cake. Image Prompt 5
    8 sugar cones, Gold edible luster dust
  • Press edible pearls into fondant details to finish castle look.
    Edible pearls, Purple fondant
    Hands attaching gold‑dust sugar cone turrets to frosted cake.

Notes

  • Chill cakes between frosting steps for clean edges.
  • Use gel colors for vibrant shades.
  • Substitute plant‑based milk and butter for a vegan version.
Keyword buttercream frosting, castle cake, easy vanilla cake, fondant decorations, girl birthday cake, princess birthday cake