# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ 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 ½ teaspoons baking powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Buttercream Frosting
09 - 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ½ 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 a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat unsalted butter for frosting until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream, mixing until fluffy. Adjust consistency as needed.
09 - Divide buttercream into portions and tint with gel food coloring for roses, leaves, and diploma accents. Reserve some buttercream white for base coating.
10 - Spread a smooth layer of white buttercream over cooled cake using an offset spatula.
11 - Using piping bags fitted with rose and leaf tips, pipe buttercream roses and leaves in desired colors.
12 - Shape fondant or white chocolate into a scroll. Tie with colored fondant ribbon and position atop cake.
13 - Decorate with edible pearls and additional accents as desired.
