Two-Tier Balloon Cake (Printable)

Elegant two-tier vanilla sponge layered with creamy buttercream and decorated with colorful balloon toppers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vanilla Sponge Cakes

01 - 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 2.5 cups granulated sugar
05 - 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 8 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 2 cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 0.5 cup whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Gel food coloring (optional)

→ Decoration

15 - Balloon cake toppers
16 - Edible confetti or sprinkles (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans and two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between 8-inch and 6-inch pans. Tap pans gently to release air bubbles.
07 - Bake 8-inch cakes for 35 to 40 minutes and 6-inch cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Mix in vanilla, salt, and milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food coloring if desired.
10 - Level cake tops if needed. Place one 8-inch layer on cake board, spread buttercream layer, top with second 8-inch cake. Repeat for 6-inch cakes.
11 - Apply thin crumb coat of buttercream to each cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
12 - Frost cakes smoothly with remaining buttercream. Stack 6-inch cake tier centered on top of 8-inch tier, using dowels or straws for support if needed.
13 - Decorate with balloon toppers and edible confetti or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's forgiving enough for your first two-tier cake but impressive enough to steal the show at any graduation party.
  • The vanilla sponge stays moist for days, so you're not scrambling if you need to bake ahead.
  • Those balloon toppers do half the decorating work for you—elegance without the stress of piping elaborate designs.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they're the difference between a silky batter and a curdled disaster; set out eggs and butter 30 minutes before you start.
  • Dowels are non-negotiable if you're stacking; I learned this when a friend's cake started to lean like the Tower of Pisa, and we had to do emergency reconstruction five minutes before guests arrived.
  • Chill everything before assembly—warm cakes sweat, cracks form, and frosting slides around like it's on ice; patience now saves panic later.
03 -
  • If your cakes dome significantly, level them with a serrated knife guided by a cake leveler or even a ruler as your guide—level cakes stack straighter and look more intentional.
  • Make the frosting the day before and refrigerate it in an airtight container; re-whip it for five minutes before using and it'll feel fresh and spreadable again.
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