Spring Cake Pressed Flowers (Print version)

Light vanilla cake layered with whipped cream and decorated with pressed edible flowers, perfect for spring.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1.75 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 - 0.5 cup powdered sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Decoration

12 - 0.5 to 1 cup pressed edible flowers
13 - Fresh mint leaves, optional

# How-To Steps:

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 the 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 the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the 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 the 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 - Once cakes are fully cooled, place one 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 - Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting and flowers.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but requires no fancy techniques or special skills.
  • The buttery vanilla cake stays moist for days, so you can make it ahead and decorate the morning of.
  • Those pressed flowers become the easiest conversation starter at any celebration.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together smoothly and create a finer crumb—cold eggs and milk will fight the batter and result in lumps or a dense cake.
  • Overmixing after adding flour is the silent killer; stop as soon as you see no white streaks, even if it looks slightly streaky.
  • Pressed flowers need genuine time to dry flat, or they'll wilt and darken once on the cake.
  • The whipped cream must be served cold; it softens quickly at room temperature and the cake can weep.
03 -
  • Always verify that flowers are truly edible and grown without pesticides—the difference between ornamental and culinary flowers can be a medical emergency.
  • Let your electric mixer do the creaming work for at least 3-4 minutes; a pale, fluffy butter-sugar mixture is the foundation of a tender cake.
  • If the cake layers dome slightly on top, level them with a serrated knife before frosting so the layers stack perfectly.
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