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.