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Making the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
4. On medium-high speed, add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
5. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix this batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.
6. There is about 8 cups of batter total, so each layer will be 2 and 2/3 cups. Pour/spread batter evenly into prepared cake pans.
7. Bake for around 25-26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.

Making the Buttercream Frosting

1. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.

2. With the mixer running on low, add 5 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 5 tablespoons heavy cream, and the vanilla extract. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
3. Add 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin, 1 more tablespoon cream if frosting is too thick.
4. Yields about 4.5 cups of frosting.

Assemble and Decorate the Cake

1. First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard or save and eat later.

2. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Spread frosting evenly on top.

3. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with more frosting.

4. Top with the third cake layer and evenly cover the top with more frosting. Cover the sides with a crumb coat finish of frosting.

5. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the frosting on the sides of the cake.

6. Decorate cake with the ombre effect and follow the instructions above. 

7. Refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours or up to 1 day before slicing and serving. If chilling for more than a few hours, loosely cover with plastic wrap after 1 hour of refrigeration (the frosting will "set" after about 1 hour and the plastic wrap won't really ruin your frosting at that point).

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 6 inch pans and set aside.

2. Combine cake mix, vanilla pudding, water, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment mix until well combined when no lumps appear. 

3. Pour half the batter into one pan. Add the black food coloring. I usually dip a knife into the gel food coloring and add it that way. You don't need much. Mix the food coloring until incorporated. Pour the black batter into the other greased pan. Bake cakes for 26 - 31 minutes. Poke a tooth pick in the middle until it comes out clean. 

4. Let the cakes completely cool on a wire rack.

Vanilla Buttercream

1. While the cake is cooling make the frosting. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes. Add 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, the heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. 

Assembling the cake

1. Once the cakes are completely cooled cut the top of the cakes off with a serrated knife and make the tops even.

2. You will need a 4 inch and a 2 inch cookie cutter for the next steps (you can also use a template and cut your circles out with a knife). You will need to cut two circles from each layer.

3. First, insert the smallest circular cutter into the center of each layer. Carefully remove the centers, leaving them intact.

4. Cut your larger circles. The idea is to make the width of the cake in each of your rings as equal as possible, so that the squares of your checkerboard will all appear to be equal in size.

5. You will have a few circles to piece back together. When you put the cakes together alternate colors. If you have white on the outside, black will be the second layer and the inside layer will be white. Black on the outside, white in the middle and the inside layer will be black.

6. Apply a layer of frosting to the top of the bottom cake. Stack your cakes on top of each other. Put a good crumb coat on… as in, a crumb coat that conceals the cake underneath. It can be sloppy and uneven, but you should not be able to see what color the cake is.
   

   *crumb coat explanation below!
   

7. To get the rosette effect on the cake you will need to use tip #1M and a piping bag. Fill the bag up with buttercream. If you have an appropriately sized coupler you can use that, or you can just insert the tip into the bag and cut off the excess.

8. To make your rose, start in the center, then slowly move your tip in a circle around the center point. I wanted a single rose to span the side of the cake so I looped around my center point twice. Try to end in the same place each time.

9. Go all the way around the cake and complete with one last rose! Then go back and add the roses to the top using the same method.

10. When making flowers that big, you are bound to have some empty spaces in the cake. Go back in and add dollops of stars with the tip.

1. Mix the cake batter as directed on box. Make the cake with two cake pans or 24 cupcakes. If making cake, divide up the batter equally between the two pans you will be using. Once baked, let the cakes cool completely.  

Oreo Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

1. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.

2. Crush up 3/4 of the package of Oreos. I put the Oreos inside a large plastic Ziploc bag and used a rolling pin to crush them up. You can use a food processor as well. 

3. Add the crushed Oreos to the frosting and beat on low speed to incorporate the Oreos.

4. Remove the cakes from the pans.
   

5. First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard or save and eat later.

6. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Spread frosting evenly on top. Use your own judgement on how much to use. 

7. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with frosting. Cover the sides of the cake with frosting. Use a bench scraper or a butter knife to smooth out the frosting on the sides of the cake. 
   

8. Using a flower tip and a piping bag pipe frosting around the top of the cake. Sprinkle the top with crushed Oreos. Cut a few of the remaining Oreos in half and place on top.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine all of the cake ingredients and mix until well blended, about 3 - 4 minutes. 

3. Grease a bundt pan with butter or non stick cooking spray and flour. You don't want to have the cake stick to the pan.

4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake will be done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Flip the pan upside down and place cake on a wire rack. Cool completely. The cake must be completely cooled before applying the filling. 

Filling

1. Pour milk and flour into a medium sauce pan and whisk together very well to make sure no lumps are formed.

2. Place pan on stove and turn the heat to medium and stir constantly to make a roux (see notes).

3. Remove the roux mixture from the heat and add vanilla. Allow to cool.

4. While the mixture is cooling, cream butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. The sugar may take up to 10 minutes to properly dissolve.

5. Add the cooled roux to the butter mixture and beat again at a higher speed until well blended and the sugar is completely dissolved.

6. Carefully cut the cake in half with a serrated knife. Remove the top half and set aside.

7. Spoon filling over the bottom half of the cake and spread evenly.

8. Replace the top of the cake on top of the filling. 

Ganache Topping

1. In a microwave safe dish heat butter and heavy cream until it begins to boil (about 2 minutes).

2. Pour in chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth.

3. Carefully place the cake back on the wire rack with parchment paper under the wire rack.

4. Drizzle ganache topping all over the cake with a large spoon. 

5. After the ganache is set (15 - 20 minutes) carefully move cake to cake stand or serving plate.

6. Refrigerate cake for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Vanilla Cake

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
   

2. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients until combined. Make sure there are no large lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Batter will be slightly thick

3. Grease the baking pan with non-stick spray. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan; set on a wire rack.

Vanilla Frosting

1. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
   

2. Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl on top of the frosting. Make sure there are no large lumps. Turn the mixer on low and beat the frosting and cake crumbles together until combined.

3. Measure 1 Tablespoon of moist cake mixture and roll into a ball. I use a cookie scoop to measure out my ball. Place balls on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour.

4. Melt the coating in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (best for dunking!). Use a microwave or you can use a double boiler and pour some out at a time into the liquid measuring cup. Let the coating cool down for a few minutes before you begin dipping. If it's too hot when you dip, the coating will crack.

Coat the cake balls

1. Remove only 2-3 cake balls from the refrigerator at a time. Keep the rest cold! Dip a lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the coating, then insert into the center of the cake ball. Only push it about halfway - 3/4 through the cake ball. Dip the cake ball into the coating until it is completely covered. Make sure the coating covers the base of the cake ball where it meets the lollipop stick. Very gently tap the stick against the edge of the measuring cup to allow excess coating to drop off. Decorate the top with sprinkles and place upright into a styrofoam block, box (flip the box upside down and poke the lollipops into the bottom of the box) or even tall shot glasses work. Repeat with remaining cake balls, only working with some out of the refrigerator at a time. The cake balls must be very cold when dipping!

2. Coating will set within an hour. Store cake pops in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You may freeze the cake pops for up to 3 months.