# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
05 - 6 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
07 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Buttercream Frosting
09 - 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring (gel preferred), as needed for roses, leaves, and diploma
→ Decorations
14 - Edible gold or silver pearls (optional, for accents)
15 - Fondant or white chocolate for diploma and ribbon (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with milk and beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, mixing until fluffy. Adjust consistency with additional milk or sugar if necessary.
09 - Divide buttercream into bowls for coloring. Tint portions pink, red, or yellow for roses; green for leaves; leave some white for base frosting.
10 - Coat cooled cake with a smooth layer of white buttercream using an offset spatula.
11 - Using a piping bag fitted with a rose tip, pipe buttercream roses in desired colors. Create leaves using a leaf tip.
12 - Shape fondant or white chocolate into a scroll for the diploma, tie with a colored fondant ribbon, and place on cake.
13 - Adorn cake with edible pearls and any additional decorations as desired.
