Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare (2) 9-inch cake pans by coating them with shortening and then dusting them with powdered sugar. Cut out round parchment circles and fit them into the bottom of each prepared pan. Set pans aside.

Whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, egg whites, and vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl.

Sift the cake mix into the liquid mixture. Stir until combined and smooth, but don’t overmix.

Place baking strips around the pans if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-27 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Using a large mixing bowl and mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, salt, and cream. Beat well. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth, 3-5 minutes.

If necessary, level domed cake layers with a knife by shaving off the peaks. Place one layer on a cake plate.

Set aside a small amount of frosting (about 3-4 tablespoons) in a small bowl for the pink flowers.

Add a drop of yellow food coloring to the frosting in the mixing bowl. Beat until the color mixes. Add more coloring if desired. This yellow buttercream will frost two layers. Use the leftover frosting to make the nest.

Frost the bottom cake layer with the yellow frosting. Add the second layer and frost. Then, smooth the frosting with a spatula or smooth frosting comb.

Add a few drops of brown food coloring to the leftover yellow frosting. Beat until the color mixes. Continue adding brown until you get the desired color. Cut the tip off a piping bag, insert the round tip, and add the brown frosting.

Create the nest by piping a circle the size you want the finished nest to be. Use the Peeps chick to help you size it. Add a few more circles to establish the bottom of the nest. Then, build the sides by repeating circles on top of each other. Vary the circles and make them a little messy so the bird's nest is a little more realistic.

Add the chick to the nest. Place a thin pink ribbon around its neck if desired.

Cut off the tip end of the second piping bag and add the star tip.

Add 1/2 drop of pink food coloring to the white frosting you set aside earlier. Stir. If not pink enough, add a little more. Pink can be bright, so put a drop on a knife and then use a toothpick to pick up a little color to start the coloring. Add the pink frosting to a prepared piping bag with a star tip. Pipe stars randomly across the cake and add a few to the bird's nest.