Berry chantilly cake

Preheat the oven to 350.

Whisk the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl so the salt and leavening are evenly distributed.

Cream the softened butter one minute on medium.

Add the granulated sugar and beat four minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down halfway.

Add the room temperature eggs one at a time on medium, scraping the bowl and especially the bottom after each; cold butter or eggs give a cottage cheese texture.

Add the vanilla extract, then on the lowest setting add a third of the flour followed by the vegetable oil.

Add half the milk, another third of the dry, the remaining milk and the last of the dry, mixing only until a few streaks of flour remain.

Finish by hand, scraping the bowl; overmixing here makes the cake dense and gummy.

Divide the batter evenly between two greased, parchment-lined nine-inch pans, weighing if possible, and smooth the tops.

Wrap the pans in wet cake strips so the edges bake at the same rate as the centre and the layers come out flat.

Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are golden and set and the edge is just pulling away from the pan.

Stir the jam with two tablespoons of water and microwave 15 to 30 seconds until just warmed.

Toss the blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries with the zest and juice of one lemon.

Mix the room temperature cream cheese and mascarpone with the paddle on medium about 30 seconds.

Add the powdered sugar a few spoonfuls at a time on low, scrape down, then run on medium 30 seconds.

Whip two cups of cold heavy cream with the vanilla to almost stiff peaks, finishing by hand with a whisk for the right consistency.

Fold the whipped cream gently into the mascarpone mixture by hand, scraping the bottom, lifting and cutting through the centre.

If the frosting slackens, cover and refrigerate 5 to 15 minutes and whip it back up; lemon juice or lemon curd also stiffens it.

Split the two cooled layers in half with a serrated knife or a cake leveler to make four thinner layers.

Place the first layer cut side up, spread about a third of the jam, about three quarters of a cup of frosting and about a third of the berries; the berries also stop the frosting squishing out.

Repeat for the next two layers, pressing each gently, then top with the last piece of cake.

Leftovers keep loosely covered in the fridge for four days.

Crumb coat with about a cup of the frosting in a very thin layer over the top and sides.

Load a piping bag with a large round tip, press out frosting and draw it to the side with an offset to make petals, working until the cake is covered.

Top with an assortment of berries and dollops of frosting, then chill at least two hours before cutting.