Pink Cherry Chip

Happy Pink Cherry Chip Birthday!

 It's a fun, pretty, girly party cake.

Using the basic white/vanilla recipe, and the addition of some food colouring for pink cake 

and maraschino cherries for a white with red flecks cake, 

I made one of each, creating four alternating layers. 

To be fair, considering the fact that I do not care for maraschino cherries, this turned out nicely. 
I would have liked to use real cherries but 
Calgary often has a shortage of what I need at the moment I decide to want it. 
Like no basil when I need to make pesto.
Or spinach when I need to go Popeye (no tinned, no frozen, no fresh!)

So substitution was a must since delaying the operation was unthinkable.

 Whipped butter icing with cherry pieces, vanilla and almond flavouring separated my layers. 

I used:

Butter, about a cup, soft - whip (6 minutes), 
Icing sugar, 2 cups, 
milk, 1-2 tbsp, 
flavourings, 1 tsp each - whip again (7 minutes), 
then blend in the cherry pieces (I squeezed them out and patted dry before chopping up).

This icing is nice and sticky, keeping the cake very stable, and locking in the moisture.

The outside is decorated in Nanny's Old-Fashioned Frosting, 

which is similar to, but better than the Seven Minute Frosting I shared with you last year. 

It takes less time since you beat it cool rather than wait, the texture is fluffier and it 

keeps it's shape and springy-ness much longer.

It is basically like melted marshmallows. 

(I tested to see if adding chocolate was okay and it is 100%!)

I was pleased with the tastiness and look of the cake, plus I'm rather happy with my photos,
(apart from the inside shot, which I didn't really get a proper chance to take because it's just rude 
to wish a happy birthday to someone with a piece missing from their cake!!!) 
however, does anyone have any tips on how exactly to slice a cake horizontally and equally?

That would have really taken the cake ;)

I'm not done with cherries, but I'm definitely done with vanilla cake for some time... 

Bring on the CHOCOLATE!!!