Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 inch pans, adding a circle of parchment or wax paper to the bottom of each pan.

Step 2

Go ahead and separate your eggs, saving only the 6 egg whites for this recipe. Set them in a bowl to the side.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds and set aside.

Step 4

In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Step 5

In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and cream cheese and mix at medium speed until smooth.

Step 6

Gradually add the sugar and mix at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.

Step 7

Mixing on low speed, add the 6 egg whites one at a time (it's fine to estimate), mixing to incorporate after each addition.

Step 8

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (We did 3 additions of the dry mixture, 2 additions of wet)

Step 9

Mix the batter just until well combined- be careful not to over-mix. Divide the batter between the three pans.

Step 10

Bake at 325 degrees F for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack before turning out. *Baking times may vary slightly.

Step 11

This recipe makes 7 1/2 cups of batter. Works for cupcakes also (although there will be little to no dome).

Step 12

Chill the mixing bowl and beaters/ whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 13

Pour the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract into the chilled mixing bowl, begin beating on low speed gradually increasing to medium high speed.

Step 14

The cream begins to thicken (approx. 1 1/2 minutes) and stiff peaks form- be careful not to overmix. This happens fairly quickly! At "stiff peak" stage, peaks form and hold their shape when beaters are lifted. This is when it's ready.

Step 15

Cream the (slightly softened) butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla.

Step 16

Add half of the powdered sugar and most of the milk. Beat at medium speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated.

Step 17

Add remaining powdered sugar and milk and mix at medium speed another 3 to 4 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. I slow down the mixer to very slow. (#2 on the Kitchenaid) for 1 to 2 minutes. This will help eliminate air pockets in the buttercream. The texture will become very smooth.

Step 18

This recipe can be doubled or halved.

Step 19

Yields approximately 4 1/2 cups of frosting.

Step 20

If your buttercream is too thin, add more sugar. If the consistency is too thick, add a bit more milk.

Step 21

Place the first cake layer on your cake plate or pedestal. Pipe a dam of buttercream about 1/4 -1/2 inch from the edge of the cake using a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped away (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped away).

Step 22

Spread the whipped cream within the dam and repeat for the second layer. Then top with the third cake layer. Fill in any gaps between the cake layers with buttercream.

Step 23

Next, I like to apply a crumb coat (thin coat) of frosting and chill for 15-20 minutes in the freezer (or longer in the refrigerator) to firm things up. This makes it easier to apply the final coat of frosting without the layers shifting.

Step 24

I applied the final coat of frosting and added texture with an offset spatula. I piped a bead border using a round tip 3 to the base of the cake, and then made a simple piped daisy design around the top edge.