Step 1: Baking the Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
2. Prepare the cake batters:
   • Vanilla Layer: Mix ½ recipe of vanilla cake.
   • Strawberry Layer: Prepare ½ recipe of strawberry cake, adding gel food coloring.
   • Chocolate Layer: Prepare ½ recipe of chocolate cake.
3. Bake all cakes for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
4. Let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. If making in advance, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for a day or freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Step 2: Making the Buttercream

1. Prepare vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate buttercream separately.
2. Cover each batch with plastic wrap until needed.

Step 3: Stacking & Crumb Coating

1. Trim the tops of the cakes to create even layers.
2. Assemble the cake layers:
   • Place the vanilla cake on a cake board and spread a thin layer of vanilla buttercream on top.
   • Stack the strawberry cake on top and spread a layer of strawberry buttercream.
   • Add the chocolate cake as the final layer and spread a layer of chocolate buttercream.
3. Apply a thin crumb coat to the sides of the cake. Use a bench scraper to smooth out excess frosting.
4. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.

Step 4: Decorating the Cake

1. Apply the final buttercream coating using an icing spatula or piping bags for clean stripes.
2. Use a bench scraper to blend the buttercream colors for a smooth finish.
3. Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting.

Step 5: The Ice Cream Cone Topper

1. Chill leftover buttercream for a few minutes.
2. Use an ice cream scoop to shape the chilled buttercream into scoops.
3. Place scoops onto a sugar cone, then refrigerate until firm.
4. Insert a wooden skewer into the cone and carefully place it on top of the cake for a fun, ice-cream-inspired decoration.