Description
Vanilla Cake Cheers to the Grad Celebration is a festive three-layer dessert, featuring moist vanilla sponge made from a box mix with an added egg and vanilla for richness. The cake is filled and frosted with creamy white buttercream, and can be personalized with hand-piped messages using stencils for a custom touch. Decorate with rainbow sprinkles to add color and fun.
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 4 large eggs (1 extra than box instructions)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Ingredients required by cake mix (typically water, oil)
- Rainbow sprinkles (optional, 1/3 cup)
- 3 cups white buttercream frosting
- Food coloring gel (optional, for decorating)
- Letter stencils
- Piping bags
- Medium round piping tip
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the temperature specified on the cake mix box. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Prepare the vanilla cake batter as directed on the box, adding one extra egg and vanilla extract to the mix. Gently fold in rainbow sprinkles if using.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and bake as directed, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely.
- Level the cake layers if needed, then assemble the cake, spreading white buttercream between each layer and across the entire cake to frost smoothly.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip with buttercream. Place letter stencils on the cake’s surface and pipe ‘Cheers to the Grad’ message. Gently lift stencils away.
- Add additional decorations or colored buttercream accents as desired. Optional: Top with extra sprinkles.
- Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes to set frosting before serving.
Notes
Box vanilla cake mix may be swapped with homemade recipe; use unsalted butter for buttercream for smoother flavor. For dairy-free, substitute with plant-based milk and vegan butter. Cake layers can be baked a day in advance, wrapped tightly, and stored at room temperature. Buttercream can be refrigerated and rewhipped before use. If buttercream is too soft for piping, chill briefly. To fix runny frosting, add powdered sugar. Decorated cake keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Use parchment for easier pan removal.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 57mg