Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 4 20cm round cake tins with baking paper and grease the sides.

Cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth in a large bowl.

Gradually add the sugar and beat for 3 minutes until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the 2 flours and salt into a separate bowl.

Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Do not overmix!

Divide the mixture into 4 separate bowls (I used digital scales for accuracy).

For the top layer, add no colouring and 1-2 tablespoons of coconut essence.

For the second layer, add a tiny drop of pink food dye and 1 teaspoon of coconut essence.

For the third layer, add more pink food dye and 1 teaspoon of strawberry essence.

For the bottom layer, add a generous amount of pink food dye and 1-2 tablespoons of strawberry essence. Try and stir each bowl as gently as possible.

Pour each batter into their lined cake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Cream the butter and icing sugar together until well mixed.

Add the cream cheese in cubes slowly until incorporated. Continue mixing for 5 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.

Use a round cookie cutter (approx 10cm in diameter) to cut out 5 rounds per cake.

Place the dark pink strawberry cake on the bottom of your serving platter, and pipe a layer of cream cheese icing on the top. Place the second pink layer of pink and repeat the process, gently pressing down each layer.

Pipe a rose on the top of each ombre cake (I use the Wilton 1M tip) and ta da!