Vanilla Pudding Layer Cake

Prepare the instant pudding according to the box instructions. Place pudding in the refrigerator while you make the cake and icing.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans.

Cream together butter and sugar in an electric stand mixer until creamy and smooth (I did it for about 5 minutes to make it extra creamy). Beat in each egg, one at a time until well blended, adding vanilla at the end.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk into the butter mixture. Blend together until everything is incorporated.

Pour batter evenly into the 2 cake pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on your oven) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare icing:
With an electric mixer, cream butter, Crisco and salt until smooth (about 5 minutes.) Add vanilla and almond extracts, if desired. Blend in powdered sugar, adding as much water or milk as you need to get the consistency you want.**

**Note: This prepares enough icing for a thin layer over the top and sides of both cakes. If you prefer a lot of icing on your cake, you might want to double the recipe.

To assemble:
Place bottom layer of cake on your serving plate and using a large bread knife, cut off the top of the cake so that it becomes flat (this will help the pudding stay put!) Using a cake decorating bag (or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off), pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the bottom cake layer. This will act as a barrier to keep the pudding from leaking out the sides of the cake. Fill the inside of the frosting barrier with the prepared pudding (use as much or as little as you would like.) Put the top layer on the cake and cover with icing, decorating with the remaining icing however your heart desires! I hope you enjoy!