Spring Cake Pressed Flowers (Print out)

Light vanilla cake layered with whipped cream and adorned with pressed edible flowers.

# 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 after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Add the 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 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with a generous layer of whipped cream. Top with the second cake layer and frost the top and sides with remaining whipped cream.
11 - Gently press edible flowers onto the sides and top of the cake. Add mint leaves if desired.
12 - Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting and flowers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla cake stays impossibly tender and moist without being heavy, so every bite feels like a little gift.
  • Whipped cream frosting has just enough structure to hold the flowers but melts on your tongue like it shouldn't exist at all.
  • Pressed flowers turn this into something people photograph and talk about long after it's gone.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter after you add flour is the one mistake that will turn a tender cake into something tough and dense—mix just until combined, then stop even if it feels like you haven't done enough.
  • Pressed flowers need at least 24 hours between heavy books and parchment paper to flatten properly; if they're still slightly puffy, they won't stick to the frosting.
03 -
  • Keep your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer before making whipped cream frosting—this one small step prevents the cream from breaking and gives you perfectly stiff peaks every single time.
  • If your whipped cream starts to look grainy or separates, you've gone too far; there's no fixing it, so stop beating the moment you see stiff peaks and step away.
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