I want to make  bubblegum flavored cake to carve into a gumball machine.  I experimented substituting  1  1/4 teaspoons of the bubblegum flavor in a pound cake recipe.  I baked it in an 8 inch x 4 inch cake pan.  The recipe called for 1 1/2   teaspoons of vanilla.  It tasted ok but not really strong enough. I don't want to make it too strong.   The cake was also under baked big time in the middle and too browned on the outside. It seemed to only rise in the middle.  I will use a cake core and baking strips my next try.  I am using a pound cake recipe because I am guessing it might carve easier then wasc, I am also guessing I need to put supports in every 2 layers.  I want to stack 4 layers to 8 inches before carving.  Any help and advice about any of it would be greatly appreciated!