Christmas Colors Layer Cake

• 1 c. butter, softened
• 1 3/4 c. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 3/4 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/4 c. buttermilk
• Green food coloring

Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each; beat in vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk.
With food coloring, tint batter green. Scrape into each one of the prepared pans, smoothing top. Bake in center of 350ºF oven for 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes. Run knife around edges; turn out onto rack. Turn right side up; let cool on rack.

MAKE BUTTER ICING – Recipe below

Place one cake layer on a flat serving plate; spread top icing. Top with another layer; spread top with icing. Top with last layer; spread top with icing. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until icing is firm.

MAKE FLUFFY ICING – Recipe below

Cover top and sides of cake with FLUFFY ICING. Makes 12 servings.

BUTTER ICING:
1 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. milk
5 c. icing sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
In a bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in sugar alternately with milk, making three additions of sugar and two of milk. Beat in vanilla. Makes 4 cups.
With food coloring, tint frosting red.

FLUFFY ICING:
1 c. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
In a saucepan, bring corn syrup to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, in a bowl set over simmering water, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. Beat in corn syrup in a thin, steady stream; beat for about 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove from heat; beat in vanilla. Makes about 4 cups.