Summer Berry Lemon Layer Cake

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (about one quarter to half a lemon)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 6 ounces raspberries
• 6 ounces strawberries, divided (other half sliced)
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup and 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 ounces quartered strawberries
• 3 ounces blackberries

Recipe

• 1 making the cake:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans. in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. set aside.
• 3 in a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer or by hand until light and fluffy, approx 3 minutes or so. beat in the vanilla and vinegar. beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by half of the flour mixture. add the milk and beat in the remaining flour mixture. beat in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
• 4 pour the batter into prepared cake pans.
• 5 bake until lightly golden and a chopstick inserted into middle of the cake comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. let cake cool on a wire rack.
• 6 meanwhile, make the frosting (for frosting 1). in a large bowl, beat together butter, 6 cups of confectioner's sugar, half 'n' half, lemon juice, and lemon zest with a whisk until incorporated. continue to beat for 3 minutes, or until frosting begins to get fluffy. at this point, taste the frosting. if desired, add remaining two cups of confectioner's sugar in 1/2 cup increments, tasting for preferred sweetness. continue to beat frosting until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. set to cool.
• 7 for frosting 2; in a mixer bowl, whisk the egg whites, cider vinegar, sugar and vanilla until well combined (not until stiff, that will be later). incorporate the water.
• 8 fill a saucepan with water about (2-3 cups). the saucepan should be large enough for the mixer bowl to “rest in it” but without touching the bottom of the saucepan.
• 9 when the water is shimmering place the bowl in the sauce pan and whisk the mixture. be sure to watch that th mixture does not boil. whisk until all the sugar is dissovled and remove from the saucepan.
• 10 place the bowl in the kitchen mixer with the whisk attachment on. whisk the meringue frosting until stiff peaks forms and has a glossy look. this can take up to 12-15 minutes or more. refrigerate until needed.
• 11 to make the jam; in a food processor (or in my case, ninja blender), puree the raspberries and 4 oz strawberries. in a small saucepan add the berry puree, water, and sugar. stir with a wooden spoon until it begins to warm slightly (it will bubble slightly at the sides) and whisk in cornstarch. cook until the jam thickens and pour into a bowl to cool. refrigerate until needed.
• 12 to assemble the cake: place first layer of cake on a stand or plate. cover evenly with jam and top with sliced strawberries (top with even amount of frosting if using). place second layer of cake on top of first. frost the top (with one of the frostings) and sides evenly with remaining frosting. decorate the top of the frosted cake with blackberries and strawberries. refrigerate and store for up to a week.