# What you’ll need:
→ For the Cake
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
→ For the Galaxy Buttercream
09 - 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Gel food coloring: black, navy blue, purple, pink, teal
→ For Decoration
14 - Edible gold and silver star sprinkles
15 - Edible glitter or luster dust
16 - White gel food coloring for stars and swirls
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
08 - Divide buttercream into four or five bowls. Tint each with a different galaxy color (black, navy blue, purple, pink, teal) using gel food coloring.
09 - Place random spoonfuls of each color onto plastic wrap. Roll up to form a log. Snip one end and transfer log to piping bag fitted with large round tip.
10 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread thin layer of galaxy buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers.
11 - Apply generous crumb coat all over cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Pipe and spread galaxy buttercream over cake, swirling gently with offset spatula to create marbled galaxy effect.
13 - Use white gel food coloring and food-safe paintbrush or splatter tool to flick stars across cake surface.
14 - Decorate with edible gold and silver star sprinkles and sprinkle of edible glitter or luster dust.
15 - Add graduation cap cake topper for festive touch if desired.
