White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream

This melt-in-your-mouth cake will be the perfect decoration for your holiday dinner. Your guests will be begging for a recipe!
Prepare the filling: Bring the first 3 ingredients and 3 cups of cranberries to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cranberries start to float. Transfer 1 cup cranberry mixture to a small bowl and toss with the remaining 1/2 cup whole cranberries. (This will be a cranberry filling.) Transfer the remaining hot cranberry filling mixture to another small bowl. Allow both mixtures to cool completely (1 hour). Cover; refrigerate 8 hours.Prepare the buttercream: Beat the butter and the following 2 ingredients on medium speed with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar alternately with the orange juice. Beat on low speed until smooth after each addition. Add vanilla. If desired, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk, 1 tsp. beat in turn until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.Place 1 base layer of white cake on a serving platter. Place 1 1/2 cups buttercream in a zippered plastic freezer bag. Cut off 1 corner of the bag to make a small hole. Tie the icing around the cake layer on the inside of the top edge. Spread the cake layer with half of the chilled cranberry filling (without whole berries), spreading it around the edge of the icing in the form of tubes. Top with the second cake. Repeat with the icing and remaining cranberry filling (without whole berries). Top with a third layer. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Tie the icing around the top layer of the cake from the inside of the top edge. Spread the cranberry topping (with the whole berries) over the top layer of the cake, spreading out along the edge of the icing in the form of tubes.* Frozen cranberries can be replaced with thawed ones.