Your guests are sure to check this cake again once they see the inside! The recipe was inspired by Smitten Kitchen’s Best Birthday Cake.

RECIPE

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups & 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter 
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• black and orange food dye (can add 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder to half of mixture instead of black dye)

Buttercream Frosting:

• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• (upt to) 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Prepare 2, 6-inch cake pans by spraying with Pam.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Then beat in vanilla.
• Beat in eggs one at a time. 
• Gradually add in buttermilk until just combined. 
• Slowly add flour mixture until completely smooth. 
• Divide batter equally among 2 separate bowls and add food dye to each bowl to make orange (red + yellow food coloring) and black (add all colors together and some cocoa powder to get it as dark as possible) cake batter. 
• Pour 6 tbsp of batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
• While cakes are in the oven, whisk together ingredients for buttercream frosting until fluffy.
• With the mixer running on low, add confections' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
• Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
• Taste. Add an extra pinch of salt if needed.
• Remove cakes from oven a& allow to cool for 15 minutes and then remove from pans. 
• Place cakes in fridge for at least 30 minutes, or until they feel cold and firm.
• Using a serrated knife, cut off the bumps of the cakes, so they are flat.
• Cut the orange & black cakes horizontally to create 2 layers. Cut each layer into circles (large, medium, and small).
• Place one medium black ring into the large orange ring. Cover the center of the black ring with an orange circle. Repeat with other rings.
• Place a layer of black outside ring color on flat surface like a cake pad or cake stand. Spread buttercream.
• Place a layer of orange outside ring color on top. Spread buttercream.
• Place a layer of black outside ring color on top. Spread buttercream.
• Finish with the orange outside ring color. Spread buttercream on the top & sides of the cake.
• Apply #ChefanieSheet & enjoy!

Note: this cake serves 6.

Active Time 30 minutes. Total Time1 hour.