Prepare and Preheat (10 minutes)
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your cake pans. Gather all ingredients so everything is ready.

Mix the Cake Batter (15 minutes)
In a bowl, sift the dry ingredients. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing gently until smooth.

Bake the Cake Layers (25–30 minutes)
Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes.

Cool Completely (1 hour)
Remove layers from pans and cool on wire racks until completely room temperature. This is important so the frosting doesn’t melt.

Make the Mascarpone Chantilly Frosting (10 minutes)
Whip mascarpone, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks, then gently fold it into the mascarpone mixture.

Prepare the Berries (5 minutes)
Wash and gently pat dry your berries. Toss them lightly with a teaspoon of sugar or lemon juice if desired.

Optional: Make Simple Syrup (10 minutes + cooling)
Combine sugar, water, and almond extract in a small pot. Heat until sugar dissolves. Cool before brushing onto cake layers for extra moisture.

Assemble the Cake (20–30 minutes)
Brush each cake layer with simple syrup if using. Spread a thick layer of frosting on the bottom layer, add berries, then repeat. Finish with frosting on top and decorate with berries.

Chill Before Serving (at least 2 hours, ideally overnight)
Refrigerate the cake to let the flavors meld and the frosting set firmly.