Step 1

IMPORTANT: For the vanilla cake recipe I would highly recommend using gram measurements, especially for the flour for accurate results. It has a high fat/liquid ratio so slight adjustments to the quantities can throw off the balance of the cake :)

Step 2

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional (see note 4 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release).

Step 3

In a bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.

Step 4

In a large bowl, add in butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - see note 2), cream together for 2 minutes until light and creamy.

Step 5

Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).

Step 6

Add in vanilla, vinegar and half a cup of the buttermilk (112g), and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.

Step 7

Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the remaining 1 cup (225g) of buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 3).

Step 8

Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins. Drop the cake tins lightly on the counter to remove any large air bubbles and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 9

Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for 20 minutes, before turning them out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Step 10

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and mix well. Place the saucepan over a low-medium heat and let the mixture slowly heat up, stirring every now and then to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Step 11

Once the berries start to get soft and the mixture is liquidy, continue to cook for a few minutes to allow it to thicken up. If using firm berries like strawberries, use a potato masher to break up the berries while they're cooking in the pan.

Step 12

Once the mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon well, remove from the heat and place it in a heatproof bowl or container. Allow it to come to room temperature before using (see note 6).

Step 13

Before beginning, ensure the mascarpone, cream cheese and whipped cream are cold.

Step 14

In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds, and then turn up the speed to a medium high and mix until well combined and smooth. If using a stand mixer use the whisk attachment.

Step 15

Add in the whipping cream and mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds (to allow everything to combine without the cream splattering), and then turn up the speed to a medium high and whip until you reach stiff peaks. Keep a careful eye on the mixture as you don't want to overwhip the cream.

Step 16

Trim off the tops of the cake layers with a serrated knife so that they're nice and flat.

Step 17

Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate/cake stand and spread out a generous amount of whipped cream. Using a large piping tip (I used a 1M), pipe a dam of frosting around the edges of the cake layer. Fill the middle with half of the berry jam and top with fresh berries.

Step 18

Place the next cake layer on top and spread out more whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.

Step 19

Using a 1M piping tip (or any large piping tip), pipe a border around the top edge of the cake. Fill the centre with the remaining berry jam and top with more fresh fruit. Slice and enjoy!