Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 3 8-inch cake pans with non-stick or baker’s floured cooking spray (or line with parchment rounds).

Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined. (A hand mixer will work as well)

Mix bits of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.

Pour in eggs and mix on low until just incorporated. Add in the buttermilk, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest, and food coloring if desired, and mix at a low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.

Bake for 35-37 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely. (Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.)

Once the layers have fully cooled, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to cut each horizontally into 2 layers. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled first; if cut while still warm, they'll tend to crumble and break.

In the meantime - start your frosting!

Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with lemon extract until frosting reaches an easily spreadable consistency. Add salt if needed and beat until well combined.

Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle.

Pipe a rim of white frosting around the edge, and fill with lemon pudding/curd. (Or if you’re not using a lemon filling, spread the layer with frosting). Sprinkle with a chopped Lemon Oreo, and add your next cake layer on top. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.

Now you're ready to frost - here’s a video tutorial if you could use help at this step. https://youtu.be/Lwd6VE2SeVo

If you’d like more detail on the cake ring I used in the video, I cover that in this post. https://youtu.be/wKrTu2g-iHs

(If you plan to add a drip, place the cake into the freezer for about 20 minutes to set the frosting and get the cake cold enough to set the drip.)

Place heavy cream and white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring in between.

When your ganache has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm but still be fairly liquid – add drips to the top edge of the cake using a piping bag or spoon.