• Grease three 8 inch cake pans and line the bottoms of each with a circle of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 C).
• In a stand mixer, measure out the oil and sugar.  Add the eggs, beat on high with the whisk attachment, and let it run while preparing the other ingredients.
• In a medium-large bowl weigh out the GF flour then whisk in the salt, and baking powder.
• Add half of the dry mixture to the fluffy, beaten sugar/oil/egg mixture and mix until combined.  Turn the speed down to low and drizzle in the vanilla, cake batter extract, and half of the milk then turn the speed back up to high until thoroughly mixed.  Stop the mixer, add the rest of the dry mixture, and mix slowly, gradually increasing to high. Add the remaining milk and the water and beat until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then give the batter one last good mix.  Evenly distribute the batter between the 3 cake pans.  Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (or with moist crumbs attached).  Remove from the oven and let the cake layers cool completely at room temperature.

Frosting:

• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and salt together until very light and fluffy.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.  Add the cream, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until combined.  Slowly add the powdered sugar until all of it is mixed in.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again.  Add the lemon juice and whisk the frosting on high speed for 5 minutes.  After five minutes, switch the whisk attachment out for the paddle attachment and beat on high for 2 more minutes.   If you want to color your frosting, you can divide it into small bowls, and mix different food colorings into each bowl or make the whole batch of frosting one color.

Assembly:

• Carefully remove the completely cooled cake layers from their pans and remove the parchment circles. If necessary, trim the domes off of the cake layers using a bread knife.
• Smear a small dollop of frosting onto a plate or cake board (set on top of a turntable if you have one) and place one cake layer (domed/trimmed side down) on top of the dollop.  Spread a slightly thin layer of frosting on top.  Carefully place the 2nd cake layer (domed/trimmed side down) on top of the frosted one.  Spread the same amount of frosting on top of the second layer. Carefully place the final cake layer (domed/trimmed side down) on top of the second frosted one. Spread as much or as little of the remaining frosting on the sides and top of the cake as you wish. Now, you can pipe frosting onto the cake or decorate however you wish. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Little Tip:

• I find that cake has the best taste and texture at room temperature, so when I make a cake a day in advance, I refrigerate it overnight and then take it out in the morning/at noon and let it sit on the counter all day. If there are any leftovers, I repeat the process. Refrigerate at night, sit at room temperature during the day. My cakes usually last for up to a week in this way (but of course, the fresher the better!).