• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease the baking pans with butter and flour, 3 square 9 inch pans, and set aside. You could also just line the pans with parchment paper instead of greasing and flouring.
• Place the butter in a large mixing bowl, then add the granulated sugar, self-raising flour, baking powder and lemon juice and zest.
• Crack the eggs one at a time and then add to the bowl.
• Using the electric mixer on slow speed, beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
• Divide the mixture equally between 3 bowls. To figure out coloring, do the light color first. Add one drop of color to get the lightest shade. Mix well and if happy move on to the next shade. Once all the shades are done, pour into the baking pans and level the surfaces with a palette knife or spatula.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15+ minutes.
• The cakes are ready when they are risen and light golden. The tops should spring back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool for about 2 minutes in the pan and then remove and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
• When the cakes have cooled, use a cookie cutter, we used a 3 inch cookie to cut out 5 portions of each color. Set aside.

Italian Buttercream

• Place the egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high speed until foamy.
• Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of the sugar and beat on medium high speed to medium peaks (the whites should be smooth, full, and shiny, and the peaks should curl a little). Turn off the mixer.
• Combine the remaining sugar and water in a saucepan over medium high heat, stirring briefly to dissolve the sugar. Place a candy thermometer in the pot. Cook until the temp reaches soft ball stage.
• Immediately remove the syrup from the heat, turn the mixer onto medium-high speed, and slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream, being very careful not to let the syrup hit the whisk.
• Reduce the speed to medium and continue whisking until the whites are barely warm, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat until
• Finish by adding the vanilla and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
• To assemble the cakes: take the darkest shade cake and place in front of you.
• Spread the frosting over the top of the darkest shade. Then place the medium shade over the frosting. Frost the top of the medium shade and then add the lightest shade.
• You can frost the top of the lightest shade. But some of my students decided not to. So the decision is up to you.