Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool and cut into cubes
  • 4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 tsp meringue powder (found this on Amazon)
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 6″ cake pan with nonstick spray and then line the cake pan with a parchment paper round – then lightly spray with nonstic spray again.  Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the milk, egg whites, and extracts with a fork until blended.
  3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add cubed butter, continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to flour mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes.
  5. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.
  6. Divide batter evenly between 5 bowls.
  7. Now mix your desired cake layer colors.  I used McCormick Food Coloring and used this color chart as a guide.
  8. Bake in the prepped 6″ baking pan until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 23 minutes.  I only had one 6″ pan so, yes, I had to bake each layer individually – you can save time if you have more pans!
  9. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream shortening and butter on medium-high until fully combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  10. With mixer on low speed, add vanilla extract and salt.
  11. Slowly add confectioners sugar, one cup at a time.
  12. Add meringue powder.
  13. Next, add in milk. Turn the mixer up to medium-high (or high) and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 5-8 minutes).
  14. You may need to add more milk to reach your desired consistency. Start with the 1/4 cup and if the buttercream is still too dry, add in more milk 1 tbsp at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Make sure the mixer is on low speed when adding in milk and give it at least 30 seconds in between each addition.
  15. Set about 1/2 of the frosting aside to fill the cake and frost the outside white.  Next, divide the remaining frosting into as many colors as you want on the cake.  Using the same McCormick color chart, mix your frosting colors accordingly.

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