Ribbon cake

Method

• 1
  Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of three shallow 20cm round cake pans.
• 2
  Use an electric mixer to beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and stir to combine. Add sour cream and stir to combine.
• 3
  Divide mixture into 3 even portions. Spoon 1 portion into a prepared pan and smooth the surface. Divide remaining portions into 2 bowls. Add the cocoa powder and milk to 1 portion and stir to combine. Spoon into a prepared pan and smooth the surface. Add the pink colouring to the remaining portion and stir to combine. Spoon into the remaining pan and smooth the surface.
• 4
  Bake cakes in preheated oven, swapping pans halfway through cooking, for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• 5
  To make frosting, use an electric mixer to beat butter until very pale. Add icing sugar and milk in batches, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Divide icing into 3 portions. Add cocoa to 1 portion and stir to combine. Add colouring to another portion and stir to combine.
• 6
  Place the vanilla cake on a platter. Spread chocolate icing and half the jam evenly over top. Top with the pink cake and spread with vanilla icing and remaining jam. Top with the chocolate cake. Spread the pink icing over the top of the cake. Decorate with icing flowers. Serve or store in an airtight container for up to two days.