- 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk
- 4 TBS unsalted butter, plus more for pans
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of two nine-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Combine milk and four tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the butter is melted. Set the pan aside. Stir flour and baking powder together, then sift onto a piece of parchment paper. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl, then whisk in salt. Whisk in sugar in a stream, then whisk in vanilla. Then, using a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the mixture on medium to high speed until lighter in color and very light and fluffy in texture, about three minutes with a stand mixer or five minutes with a hand mixer. Gently whisk in the warm milk mixture by hand. Add the flour mixture in four parts, lifting to fold the flour in to the liquid, gently whisking to incorporate each time. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake on center rack of oven until golden and firm when touched in the center, about 20 minutes. Place on wire racks and allow to cool for about ten minutes. To loosen cake from sides of pan, run a sharp paring knife around the cake pans. Then, invert the pans onto the racks. Immediately, turn the cakes over so they cool with the parchment paper on the bottom. Allow to cool completely before adding frosting and berries.
Frosting and Berry Topping
- 4 cups mixed fresh berries
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 TBS granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/4 cups non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp. confectioner’s sugar for garnish
Wash berries and thoroughly pat dry. Halve any large berries. Gently combine in a bowl. Whip cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until it starts to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste) and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the yogurt. Place one cake layer on a platter and spread one cup of the cream mixture on top. Spread half the berries over the cream to within a half inch of the edge. Top with with the second cake. Using an offset spatula, fill the gap between the two layers with cream mixture so the sides are flush. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream mixture. Spoon the remaining berries on the top, mounding them slightly in the center. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
