# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Buttercream Frosting
09 - 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 - 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
13 - Blue gel food coloring in various shades
14 - White gel food coloring
→ Decoration
15 - Edible pearls or sugar pearls, optional
16 - White chocolate or fondant for Pisces symbol, optional
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x13-inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
07 - Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed. Add vanilla and milk; beat until fluffy and smooth.
09 - Divide buttercream into 3-4 bowls. Tint each with varying shades of blue, from deep ocean blue to pale aqua, and reserve one portion white.
10 - Once cake is completely cool, spread a thin layer of white buttercream over the entire cake as a crumb coat. Chill for 20 minutes.
11 - With an offset spatula, layer blue buttercreams in wave-like shapes across the cake, starting with the darkest shade at the base and working up to the lightest. Use swooping motions to mimic ocean waves.
12 - Pipe or swirl white buttercream on top to create sea foam texture.
13 - Optionally decorate with edible pearls and add a Pisces symbol made from white chocolate or fondant.
