Vivid rainbows that lead to a bountiful stash of gold are part and parcel of Irish folklore. What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than with this showstopping layered rainbow cake with a gold ombre center? Start with the batter from this Classic White Cake recipe and this simple vanilla buttercream recipe, doubled. You'll also need: red, yellow and blue food coloring; gold sprinkles; a rotating cake stand or lazy Susan; three 8-inch round cake pans; a cooling rack; pastry bags or plastic baggies; rubber bands; a small offset spatula; scissors; a bench scraper or a large offset spatula.

Add 5 drops of yellow food coloring to one bowl, then 10 drops of yellow food coloring to another. One bowl will remain white. For an extra-deep-golden layer, add 20 drops instead of 10. You can use more or less food coloring to achieve your desired results.

Pour batter into three 8-inch round cake pans that have been prepared with baking spray and bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until cake springs back up when touched in the center and it has pulled away from the sides. Invert cakes onto a cooling rack.

While cakes are cooling to room temperature, prepare the rainbow buttercream. Using 6 bowls, add 1/2 cup of buttercream to each bowl.

Red: 5 drops red food coloring

Orange: 3 drops yellow, 2 drops red

Yellow: 5 drops yellow

Green: 3 drops blue, 2 drops yellow

Blue: 2 drops blue

Purple: 3 drops blue, 2 drops red