Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Prepare three 8” round pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Mix butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and sea salt in a mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy—about 3-5 minutes should do the trick!

Add egg whites gradually, blending well until the mixture thickens. Next, mix in the pure vanilla extract and white vinegar, ensuring everything is well combined.

Dye the batter by incorporating pink gel food coloring slowly, stirring until you achieve your desired shade of pink.

Sift in half of the cake flour, along with the baking powder and baking soda. Gently fold in buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour, while being cautious not to overmix—stop when just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Cool the cakes in the pans for about 8 minutes before turning them out onto racks to cool completely.

Trim the edges of the cooled cake layers for a neat finish before frosting them with your cream cheese frosting.

Beat the softened butter in a mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually add the sea salt and powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Blend in the cream cheese, mixing until light and airy. Finally, add the vanilla extract and adjust the frosting's consistency as needed with a splash of milk.

Layer the first cake on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining layers.

Chill the assembled cake for 10 minutes to set the crumb coat before covering it entirely with a pale pink frosting.

Decorate using piping bags filled with cream cheese frosting tinted with extra food coloring for whimsical designs.