Spring Cake with Edible Flowers (Printable)

Light vanilla cake topped with whipped cream and delicate pressed edible flowers for spring.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Whipped Cream Frosting

09 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
10 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Decoration

12 - 1/2 to 1 cup pressed edible flowers such as violets, pansies, nasturtiums, rose petals, or chamomile
13 - Fresh mint leaves, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 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 - In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
10 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with generous layer of whipped cream. Top with second cake layer and frost top and sides with remaining whipped cream.
11 - Gently press edible flowers onto sides and top of cake. Add mint leaves if desired.
12 - Refrigerate cake for at least 30 minutes to set frosting and flowers.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like spring itself—tender cake, clouds of cream, and flowers that remind you why you love fresh seasons.
  • The pressing-flowers step actually gives you an excuse to slow down for a day and pay attention to something beautiful.
  • You can make this ahead, which means less stress when guests arrive and more time to enjoy the moment.
02 -
  • Bring all your wet ingredients to room temperature before you start—this is the single biggest reason vanilla cakes fail, because cold ingredients don't emulsify properly.
  • Pressed flowers are fragile; handle them with tweezers or the tips of a small knife rather than your fingers, and always press them at the very last moment before serving to prevent them from absorbing moisture from the frosting.
03 -
  • Make the cake layers a day ahead and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap—they're easier to frost when they're completely cool and won't tear under the frosting knife.
  • If you want a citrus note, add 1–2 tsp of lemon or orange zest to the batter; it brightens the vanilla without overwhelming the flowers.
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