- 3 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 egg whites room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Buttercream Frosting (see recipe)
- 3 cups assorted berries
- ⅓ cup orange marmalade or apricot jam
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Pre-heat the oven to 350°Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and dust them with flour.
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Combine the the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine and remove any lumps. These are your dry ingredients.
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Combine the milk and lemon juice in another small bowl. These are your wet ingredients.
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Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two. Add the sugar and cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 to 5 minutes until it is fluffy and light in color. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula one or two times as needed. Beat in the eggs, the egg whites and the vanilla extract until everything is blended.
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Combine all the ingredients by alternately adding the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the bowl with the butter and sugar. Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared pans.
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Bake at 350°F for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake layers to a cooling rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pan and then unmold the cake layers and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.
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When ready to assemble cake, cut off the domed tops of each of the cake layers to form a flat surface using a large serrated knife held parallel to the cutting board. Place one of cake layers, cut side down, on a serving plate. Spread about 1½ cups of buttercream frosting evenly over the layer. Top with the remaining layer cake, cut side down. Spread more frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Make swirls around the sides top of the cake. Or for a smooth look, dip a flat off-set metal spatula in a glass of warm water and smooth the top and sides of the cake.
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Combine the berries in a bowl. Melt the jam in the microwave or in a small saucepan and pour it over the berries. Gently toss to coat all the berries with the jam. Then pile the berries on top of the cake in a decorative manner.
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Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: If making the day ahead, do not top with the berries until a few hours before serving. The cake layers can be made and frozen up to a week ahead of time. Wrap and store leftovers in the refrigerator for about 5 days.