Birthday layer cake

Equipment

• 1 round 20cm cake tins
• 1 bowls
• 1 wire racks
• 1 serrated knife
• 1 mixer
• 1 serving plate

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan-forced). Grease and flour 3 round 20cm cake tins.
2. Mix one cake mix according to directions and divide this mixture into 3 bowls. Tint each with 1/8 tsp of each colour (I used pink, green and blue). Mix well and pour into cake tins. Tap tins to distribute mixture evenly.
3. Bake in the oven for 18 minutes or until cakes bounce back when touched in the centre. Remove from oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool further. While the cakes are baking, mix the second cake mix and tint (I used yellow and a combination of half pink and half blue food colouring to make mauve). Leave the third cake uncoloured. Grease and flour clean tins and pour mixture into each tin. Bake in the oven for 18 minutes or until cakes bounce back when touched in the centre.
4. Remove from oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool further. When cooled, using a serrated knife, slice tops off so the cakes are of even thickness.
5. Place butter into a mixer and beat well until pale and fluffy. This will take quite a while and the longer you beat it the paler in colour it becomes. Gradually beat in the icing mixture, 1/2 cup at a time until all mixed in. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Add milk a little at a time until the mixture is light and fluffy. Place a little icing on the base of your serving plate and lay a cake round on the plate.
6. Add 1/2 cup of icing to the top and spread evenly. Repeat until all layers are stacked.
7. Use remaining icing to ice the sides and top.
8. Sprinkle the top with your favourite sprinkles and serve.