# What You’ll Need:
→ Butterscotch cake layers
01 - All-purpose flour — 2 1/4 cups
02 - Baking powder — 2 1/2 teaspoons
03 - Baking soda — 1/2 teaspoon
04 - Fine salt — 1/2 teaspoon
05 - Unsalted butter, softened — 3/4 cup
06 - Packed brown sugar — 1 1/4 cups
07 - Large eggs, room temperature — 3
08 - Vanilla extract — 1 tablespoon
09 - Sour cream or plain yogurt — 3/4 cup
10 - Whole milk — 3/4 cup
11 - Butterscotch sauce (prepared) — 1/2 cup
→ Butterscotch sauce
12 - Unsalted butter — 1/2 cup (1 stick)
13 - Packed brown sugar — 1 cup
14 - Heavy cream — 1/2 cup
15 - Vanilla extract — 1 teaspoon
16 - Salt — a pinch
→ Floral earth-tone buttercream
17 - Unsalted butter, softened — 1 1/4 cups (about 2 1/2 sticks)
18 - Powdered sugar, sifted — 4 cups
19 - Whole milk — 2–3 tablespoons
20 - Culinary rose water — 2 teaspoons
21 - Culinary dried lavender, finely ground — 1 teaspoon (optional)
22 - Natural colorants (matcha, beet powder, cocoa, turmeric, spirulina) — as needed
→ Decoration
23 - Edible flowers (pansies, violets, roses) — as desired
24 - Fresh herbs (thyme, mint, rosemary) — as desired
25 - Gold leaf or dust — optional, small amount
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment and set aside.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and cook 2 minutes until combined. Add heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer and stir until smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Cool to room temperature before folding into batter.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
04 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and packed brown sugar until light and airy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla.
05 - Stir the sour cream and cooled butterscotch sauce into the creamed mixture. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake 28–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.
07 - Beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, adding 2–3 tablespoons of milk as needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Stir in rose water and optional ground lavender. Taste and adjust floral notes sparingly.
08 - Divide the buttercream into portions and tint each with natural colorants to achieve subtle earth tones: matcha for green, beet powder for pink, cocoa for brown, turmeric for yellow, and spirulina as needed.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread an even layer of buttercream, repeat with remaining layers. Apply a crumb coat to the exterior, chill 20 minutes, then finish with a final coat using swirls of the colored buttercream for an earth-inspired palette.
10 - Top with edible flowers and fresh herbs, and add a touch of gold leaf or dust if desired. Allow the finished cake to rest 20–30 minutes before slicing to set the buttercream.
