Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

Sunflower Cake
Ready for fall - but not quite ready for Halloween? Artificial sunflowers make this Sunflower cake beautiful and easy to decorate!
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 725kcal
Equipment
- small offset spatula (to texture frosting)
- 6-8 Sunflowers (I used artificial flowers that came with a few varying sizes and leaves; if you use real ones cover the stems with food-safe floral tape)
Ingredients
Sunflower Cake Layers
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter or 2 sticks room temperature
- 5 eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ cup vegetable oil
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese one package, softened
- 1 cup butter two sticks, softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
Cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with baker’s floured cooking spray, or grease and line with parchment rounds.
- Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined. Mix bits of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Pour in eggs and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk on a low speed. Add in vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
- Bake for 34-37 minutes if using 8-inch pans (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
- Once the layers have fully cooled, they can be leveled and any caramelized bits can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming. If you try to trim the layers while they’re still warm, they will crumble apart. While you’re waiting….make your frosting!
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Assembly
- Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
- Now you're ready to crumb-coat. If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer. I usually do this with my large offset spatula.
- Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part – don’t stress about smoothing it too much; you’re going to texture it with a small offset spatula in a minute!
Decorating
- Texturing the frosting is pretty straightforward – hold a small offset spatula against the side of the cake, and press gently while rotating the cake on the turntable. One tip – I did find that I got a much smoother and more even line with my spatula when I warmed it a bit with a lighter (or in hot water/dried with a paper towel) before each pass around the cake.
- Once your cake is textured, place it into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to set the frosting.
- Now you’re ready to decorate! Press your sunflowers into your frosting to decorate the cake – I ran mine in a bit of an irregular line from the side of the top of the cake to the base on the other side.
- And you’re done! If you’re as proud of your cake as I was of mine, snap a few pictures before you cut in!
Video
Notes
Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be completely accurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1/16th cake) | Calories: 725kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this Sunflower Cake?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo! You can also leave a comment or recipe rating at the bottom of the page!
Related posts
Vanilla Cake Layers
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Other recipes you may love...
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
2 thoughts on “Sunflower Cake”