This is a vanilla flower cake decorated with fresh roses. It's a super simple white cake with vanilla frosting that looks much fancier than the effort it takes to make it! This is my favorite, go-to white cake recipe, too. It comes out every time and is light and fluffy.
how to make a vanilla white cake with fresh flowers, step by step
This is a fun weekend project; like what I wrote in my cinnamon bun cake recipe, I like to bake the cakes one day, then frost and decorate the next day.
A naked cake is really just a cake that's only been frosted with a crumb coat. Really much simpler than it looks!
First, make the cakes. Pre-heat oven to 350. Butter and flour three 6-inch round cake pans. ( I use these 6-inch layer cake pans and also swear by Wilton cake nonstick spray. It totally eliminates the need for parchment liners. )
Combine dry ingredients, except the sugar, in a bowl to the side.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and increase the speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the butter and sugar are creamed together. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla extract followed by the egg whites. Slowly pour in the whites to help the batter absorb all the liquid. If the batter curdles, add a couple of teaspoons of the flour mixture to help bring it back together. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Mix in the dry ingredients + milk in alternating batches into the butter/sugar mixture.
Evenly distribute the batter between the three pans. Bake for about 25 to 28 minutes Let cool completely - I sometimes even freeze the cake layers overnight before frosting + decorating.
When I'm ready to frost/decorate/eat, I pull the cake layers out of the freezer and dust off any crumbs. A really simple frosting is 1 160z box of powdered sugar : 2 sticks of butter : pinch salt: dash of vanilla extract. Your butter should be room temp, so either leave the butter out overnight when you're freezing your cake or put in the microwave for 5-10 second bursts until soft but not melted.
I forgot to take a picture while I was frosting the cake, so I'll refer you to this video for how to do a crumb coat, which is what those "naked cakes" are that you see online. So pretty and for me the right amount of frosting!
pro tips for making a vanilla naked cake with fresh roses
If you're baking with fresh flowers, you should either tape the ends or use these little flower stakes from Wilton - they make it so the plant matter doesn't get in the cake.
If you're seeing cakes on Instagram that are really evenly baked with firm sides and consistent height, it's because they used nice cake pans that ensure an even bake. After mixing the batter as prescribed, I use these 6-inch layer cake pans and also swear by Wilton cake nonstick spray. It totally eliminates the need for parchment liners.
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Cake with Roses
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 cup whole milk
Frosting
- 16 oz box of powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract
Instructions
Cake
- Pre-heat oven to 350. Butter and flour three 6-inch round cake pans.
- Combine dry ingredients, save the sugar
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and increase the speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the butter and sugar are creamed together. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla extract followed by the egg whites. Slowly pour in the whites to help the batter absorb all the liquid. If the batter curdles, add a couple teaspoons of the flour mixture to help bring it back together. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Mix in the dry ingredients + milk in alternating batches into the butter/sugar mixture.
- Evenly distribute the batter between the three pans.
- Bake for about 25 to 28 minutes
- Let cool completely - i sometimes even freeze the cake layers overnight before frosting + decorating.
Frosting
- in a mixer, beat the butter until smooth
- add in the almond extract
- add in the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- frost and decorate!