For the Meringue Kisses:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 large egg whites
Gel-paste food coloring

Directions:
1. For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans; line pans with parchment, grease, and flour, tapping out excess flour; set aside. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with flour and scraping down sides of bowl often. Divide batter between pans and bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Turn out and cool, top side up.

3. For Meringue Kisses: Heat oven to 175 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Prepare 4 large pastry bags fitted with 1/2-inch plain tips or plain couplers; set aside.

4. In a small, heavy saucepan combine 3/4 cup sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves; remove spoon. Brush insides of pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals. Boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 230 degrees F. on a candy thermometer, about 4 minutes.

5. While syrup cooks, whip egg whites and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form. With mixer on low speed, pour sugar syrup into egg whites in a slow steady stream. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.

6. Working quickly, divide meringue between 4 bowls, then tint pink, orange, yellow, or blue. Stir each one before transferring to prepared pastry bags. Pipe 1-1/4-inch round kisses onto lined baking sheets as close together as possible. Bake until set and cooked through, about 2 1/2 hours. Turn oven off, leaving meringues to dry completely, about 1 hour.

7. Assemble the cake: Trim domed tops from cooled cakes. Fill with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of frosting and frost the entire cake. Decorate sides with meringue kisses.

Directions:
Crumble the yellow cake mix into large chunks. Press a small amount of the crumbled cake mix into the bottom of four small canning jars. In a small bowl, mix together the frosting and whipped topping. Spoon a small amount on top of the cake layer. Spoon a few strawberries on top of the frosting layer, add another layer of cake, frosting, and strawberries.

Top each jar with a lid and ring. Store in the fridge up to 12 hours before serving.

Frosting:
1 c. butter
6 Tbl. evaporated milk
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped pecans, opt.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter and water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda. Stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in the sour cream and mix until blended. Pour the batter into a well greased 11”x17” sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool slightly while you make the frosting. Put the butter and milk into a medium saucepan. Heat until butter is melted and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla and a dash of salt. Whisk until completely smooth. Add nuts (if desired) and spread over cake.

From The Blogger:
Jenn’s Notes: I love this cake. I tried it with non-fat plain yogurt instead of the sour cream and it was not as rich as it is with the sour cream, but it was just as moist. By the time I added my frosting, my cake was completely cool.

Adapted from: Frieda Loves Bread

For the Frosting:
6 oz. (180 g) quality unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4-1/2 cups (563 g) confectioners’ sugar (no need to sift)
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks)(340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (90 ml) half-and-half
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

Instructions:
For the Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment round, butter the rounds and dust with flour.

2. Put the eggs and yolks in a medium mixing mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and the vanilla. Whisk to blend well.

3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixer bowl; whisk to blend. Add the butter and the remaining 1 cup buttermilk to these dry ingredients and with the mixer on low, blend together. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

5. Divide batter evenly among the 3 prepared pan (use a kitchen scale to ensure 3 even layers). Bake the cake layers for 28-32 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel of the paper liners, and let cool completely.

For the Frosting:
6. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Then process until the frosting is smooth.

Assembly of the Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Instant Fudge Frosting:

7. Place one layer, face-up on a cake stand or plate. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting over the layer right to the edge using a small offset palette knife. Repeat with the next layer.

8. Place the last layer on top and use all but 3/4 cup of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. With an offset palette knife or spatula, smooth out the frosting all over. Place the remaining 3/4 cup frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube and pipe a shell border around the top and bottom edges of the cake.

Vanilla Custard:
Scald in the microwave or on the stove top:
3 cups whole milk
Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Over medium low flame slowly add 1 cup of the scalded milk, whisking constantly. As you notice the filling beginning to thicken, add another cup of the scalded milk continuing to stir constantly until it begins to thicken again. Add the final cup of scalded milk, stirring constantly. Continue to cook over medium low heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto

3 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks

whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional two or three until the filling reaches pudding consistency and remove from the flame. The mixture should just be beginning to boil at this point.

Cool almost to room temperature before pouring 1/3 of the custard into the baked pie shell. Add a layer of sliced ripe bananas, followed by another third of the vanilla custard, another layer of sliced bananas and the last of the vanilla custard. Pour about 1 cup of caramel sauce over the top and chill for about 3 hours or overnight in the fridge. Garnish with Vanilla Whipped Cream.

Vanilla Whipped Cream:
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp icing sugar

Combine and beat to soft peaks and spread or pipe on top of the cooled pie. Garnish with sliced bananas and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter cut in small cubes
4 tbsp water
1 cup whipping cream

Begin by mixing the sugar and water in a large saucepan. NOTE: I use a large saucepan of about 3-4 quarts or larger because the sugar foams up when you add the butter and cream so make sure you have a large enough pot.

Boil the sugar and water over medium heat until the mixture begins to turn a light amber color. It is very easy to burn this mixture which can happen very quickly once the proper color is achieved, so have your butter and cream at the ready, as timing is crucial for this recipe.

When the color is right, quickly add the butter and stir quickly until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat immediately and pour in the whipping cream, stirring constantly until the sauce is uniformly smooth. Cool completely. Store in an airtight plastic container or in a mason jar.

Frosting and Decorations:
1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
3/4 cup frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping
10 fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Generously grease or spray two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pans.

2. Bake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. In medium bowl, add frosting; fold in whipped topping.

4. On serving plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down. Spread with 1/3 cup frosting almost to edge. Cut about 5 strawberries into 1/4-inch slices; arrange on frosted cake. Top with second cake, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with about 5 halved strawberries in center of cake. Sprinkle chocolate chips around outside edge of top of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

You can make this cake in a 13×9-inch pan following directions on the box. Frost, and top the cake with sliced strawberries. The mini chips can be sprinkled over the top or just around the outside edge of the cake.