1. Bake the Cake

• Bring the cold ingredients to room temperature. The butter should be soft where you can easily press your thumb into it.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease three 6” circular cake pans and line each with parchment paper. Grease the paper and dust lightly with flour. Tap the pans to dump out the excess flour.
• Combine the flour, cardamom, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix the milk, orange zest, and vanilla together in a large measuring cup.
• Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter on low until blended. Increase the speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
• With the mixer on low, alternate adding 1/4 of the flour mixture followed by 1/3 of the liquid mixture, beating until combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl with a spatula between additions.
• Divide batter between cake pans and smooth with a spatula. Bake until golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Cool the cakes for 15 minutes and then carefully turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

2. Make the Buttercream

• Add the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to the side and cook until the temperature reaches 238 degrees.
• While the syrup is cooking, whisk the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Once the syrup reaches 238 degrees, quickly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl keeping the motor running. Whisk the meringue on medium-high until stiff peaks form and the bowl cools down, about 8 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat in each piece of butter one at a time until emulsified. Once all the butter is incorporated, beat on high until the meringue becomes smooth and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract and honey, about 1 minute more.

3. Assemble the Cake

• Level It: Place the cake on a cake stand dome-side up. Using a serrated knife, move the knife back and forth in a sawing motion to remove the crown. Keep the knife level as you cut. Repeat with the other cakes.
• Frost It: Fill a large piping bag fitted with a 1-inch tip with buttercream.
• Place the first layer on a cake stand bottom side up (the non-cut side). Create a dam of buttercream about 1/4-inch from the edge of the cake. Fill the circle enough buttercream to reach about 1/2-inch high, about 1 cup, and top with the second layer bottom side up. Gently press down to ensure the cake stays level. Repeat and top with the final layer bottom side up.
• Crumb coat the cake to “glue” any crumbs down. Start by thinning about 1/2 cup of buttercream with a teaspoon or two of water. Spread a thin layer of icing onto the cake, and let it firm up in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• When the buttercream is firm, pipe enough frosting for about a 1/4-inch high layer. Next, fill the gaps between the layers with buttercream. You want to pipe enough frosting so that the buttercream overflows a bit.
• Using an offset spatula and slowly turning the cake stand, smooth the top working any extra buttercream onto the sides. To smooth the sides, hold the spatula in place positioned straight up and down against the cake at a 45-degree angle. Spin the cake stand to remove any excess buttercream and expose the sides of the cake. Continue to smooth as necessary.

 4. Top with Poached Pears

• In a large saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Now is a good time to add any optional add-ins.
• Place the pears so they stand up in the saucepan and cook at a simmer until a knife slides easily into the pears, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool in the poaching liquid.