what you need to do

for the cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 deg F.
2. Combine your dry ingredients.
   flour + sugar + baking powder + baking soda + salt
3. Combine your wet ingredients.
   eggs + buttermilk + oil + sesame paste + water
4. Combine everything.
   step 1 mixture + step 2 mixture
5. Split batter evenly among 3 6” round baking pans, and bake for 30-35 minutes.

for the kahlua filling

1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture becomes pale.
   egg yolks + sugar
2. Add kahlua into the egg yolk mixture.
   step 1 mixture + kahlua
3. Place your bowl on top a pot of simmering water to create a double boiler, and whisk continuously until it thickens (approximately 5 minutes).
4. Take your bowl off the heat and mix with the mascarpone.
   step 3 mixture + mascarpone
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

for the chocolate swiss meringue buttercream

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl, and place your bowl on top a pot of simmering water to create a double boiler. This step cooks the egg whites and dissolves the sugar.
2. Whip your cooked egg whites until they have cooled completely and have reached soft peaks.
3. Continue to whip while adding your butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated.
4. Fold in the melted and cooled dark chocolate.

for the pineapple flowers

1. I followed this tutorial from The Cookie Rookie

to assemble

1. Level each of your FULLY COOLED cakes.
2. Pipe a ring of buttercream along the border of cake layer and then fill the center with the kahlua filling. Place another cake layer on top and repeat.
3. Crumb coat with the chocolate buttercream.
4. Top with the pineapple flowers.