each less than 2 inches high. To serve 100 people, the recipe needs to be made twice so that you will have two of each layer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 14-inch, 9-inch and 6-inch layer cake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Let rest upside down for a few minutes and spray lightly again. Cut a cardboard circle for each size. Cut a 1-inch square out of the center of the 9-inch circle and the 6-inch circle.

Sift together the cake flour and baking powder. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Continue until all of the eggs are incorporated. Combine the milk with the vanilla and any optional zests. On low speed, alternate adding one third of the flour mixture and one third of the milk to the butter mixture, beating until they are completely incorporated. Repeat with remaining mixtures, one third at a time until all ingredients are well mixed.

Fill the cake pans less than 1/2 full. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean. The largest layer will take the longest to bake.

For the sugar syrup, cook sugar and water over high heat until mixture boils and becomes clear, or in a microwave, cook sugar and water on high heat for 3 minutes, or until clear. Add flavorings. When cakes are cool, remove from the pans. Clean, dry and spray pans again and make another batch of cakes. When all cakes are baked and completely cool brush each layer with syrup. Between the two layers of each size spread jam or buttercream. You will have 3 cakes, each with two layers. Place each cake on the appropriate sized cardboard circle and insert three short dowels in each of the larger two cakes to support the cakes on top. Frost with buttercream, glaze with white chocolate, or drape with rolled fondant and chill or freeze if not previously frozen. Place the 9-inch cake on the center of the largest cake. The 6-inch cake tops that. Cut a dowel the height of the cakes less 1/2-inch. Shove the dowel through the center of the whole stack of cakes until it is beneath the top of the highest tier. Decorate as desired.

Cakes can be well-wrapped and frozen when completely cooled, before brushing them with sugar syrup. Thaw, brush with syrup, fill and frost another day.

Edible Flowers For Decorating

Apple blossoms Tuber begonias Borage Calendula Carnations Chive Blossoms Chrysanthemums Cymbidiums Citrus blossoms Cornflower Daylily Dianthus Elder flower English daisies Fuchsia Gardenia Geraniums Hibiscus Hollyhock Honeysuckle Hyssop Iceland poppy Lavender Lilac Lemon verbena Marigold Nasturtiums Passion flowers Roses Petunias Safflower Sunflowers Tulips Pansies Violets Yucca Zucchini Blossoms