Raspberry Laced Vanilla Cake

About 3 hours before serving or early in day: Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans. In large bowl, with mixer
at low spped, beat margarine or butter and sugar just until blended.
Increase spped to high; beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl
often with rubber spattula. Reduce speed to low; add flour, milk,
baking powder,vanilla exract, salt,baking soda,and eggs; beat until
well mixed, constantl scraping bowl. Increase speed to high; beat 2
minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Spoon batter into pans,
spreading evenly. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in
center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10
minutes. With spatula, loosen cake layers from edges of pans; invert
onto wire racks to cool completely.

Prepare Raspberry Butter Cream Frosting*: In large bowl, with mixer
at low speed, beat 3 cups confectioners’ sugar and 2 cups margarine
or butter (4 sticks) softeneed, until just mixed. Increase speed to
high; beat 10 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping bowl oftten
with rubber spatual. Reduce speed to medium, gradually beat in 1/4
cup raspberry flavor liquer and 1 tsp. vanilla extract until smooth,
occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Spoon 2 cups frosting
into decorating bag with small star tube; set aside. With serrated
knife, cut each cake layer horizontally in half. Place bottom half of
1 layer, cut side up, on cake plate; spread with 1/3 cup raspberry
preserves. Top with top half of cake layer; spread with about 1/2 cup
butter cream frosting. Repeat layering, ending with a cake layer.
With metal spatual, spread remaining butter cream frosting on sides
and top of cake. Use frosting in decorating bag to pipe lattice top
and pretty border on cake. Refrigerate cake if not serving right
away. Makes 24 servings.