Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your heart-shaped cake pans by greasing them with butter and dusting them with flour, or lining with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until blended.

In a large bowl, beat softened unsalted butter until smooth, gradually add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, followed by vanilla extract. The batter should be smooth and glossy.

In another container, whisk together milk and sour cream. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk mixture.

Reserve about 2 cups of plain batter. Color remaining batter into golden yellow, brown, and black.

Pour half of the plain batter into a lined pan, pipe brown batter for spots, outline with black, and cover with yellow batter. Bake for 12-16 minutes and cool.

For the main cake, dollop colored batters randomly and swirl together. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Level the tops if needed and chill for 20-30 minutes.

Beat butter for frosting until smooth. Gradually mix in powdered sugar and milk until fluffy.

Reserve some frosting for filling. Color the rest golden tan for base; divide for decoration (brown and black).

Spread a layer of reserved buttercream between cooled layers and stack. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill for 20-30 minutes.

Spread golden tan buttercream evenly around the cake and chill again for 15 minutes to set.

Pipe small brown spots and outline with black frosting for a cheetah pattern.

Chill cake for 30-45 minutes to set frosting before serving.