1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease and flour 9 -inch cake pan

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the sifted flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt to combine. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until incorporated. Follow with 1/3 of the buttermilk and mix to combine. repeat until all of the wet and dry ingredients are added, scrape well to ensure the batter is smooth.

4. For the white cakes: do nothing! The batter can be baked as is. For the red cakes: add 25 drops of liquid food coloring ( or more if it looks pale ). For the blue cake: add about 20 drops of liquid food coloring ( or more if it looks pale ).

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean, 35- 45 minutes. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

6. To assemble the cake, you'll need the frosting ( recipe below ). Cut the white and red cakes into layers, between 3/4 0 to 1 inch thick. Now you should have 6 layers. Use a 5 inch circle cookie cutter ( or trace a 5 inch plate ) to cut one of the white layers and one of the red layers into a smaller circle.

7. Use the 5 inch cutter to remove the center of the thickest blue cake. This cake will remain in one thick layer.

8. To build the cake, start with a large red layer and spread a thin coating of buttercream on top. Top with a white layer, and spread buttercream thinly on top. Repeat with another red and another white layer - 4 layers in total.

9. Top this white layer with the thick blue layer ( center removed ). Spread a thin amount of frosting on the 5 inch red layer, and top it with a 5 inch white layer. Now push and pat the 5 inch layers inside the hole of the blue layer. Now the cake has been assembled.

10. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting, using a small offset spatula to make it swirly. All that's left to do is eat it!

Frosting:

4 sticks softened unsalted butter

8 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy cream

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy - 5-6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the cream gradually, mixing until a smooth, creamy texture.