Chantilly Inspired Berry Birthday Cake

Instructions

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1. - Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three 6-inch round pans with vegetable cooking spray.
2. - In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy; add vanilla and beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk and oil; beat well after each addition. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; gently fold into batter. Divide evenly into prepared pans.
3. - Bake 32-36 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on rack; remove and cool completely before decorating.
4. - While the cake is cooking and cooling, prepare the sugared berries. Place wire cooling grid over a piece of parchment paper.
5. - Add 1/2 cup of the organic cane sugar to one bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar to a second bowl along with 1/2 cup of water.
6. - Heat bowl of sugar and water in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved to create a syrup. If necessary, microwave for an additional 15 seconds if the sugar is not all dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
7. - Using a slotted spoon, dip a few berries at a time into the cooled syrup, and shake to allow excess syrup to drip off (they should just be lightly coated in the syrup). Toss the berries into the bowl of sugar to coat, then place on the prepared cooling grid. Repeat with remaining berries. Allow berries to dry for at least 30 minutes.Tip: If berries look a little wet or the coating starts to dissolve when you're ready to use them for decorating (this can happen with the softer berries like the strawberries and raspberries), just roll them in additional sugar when you're ready to use them.
8. - Prepare the filling by mixing raspberry jam with a squeeze of lemon juice (from about 1 wedge of lemon) in a small bowl. Add icing to a decorating bag fitted with an open round tip.
9. - Level the cakes to even heights with flat tops using a cake leveler (if desired, trim off the brown edges and bottom of the cake as well to create a nice white cake look when sliced). Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving platter. Add a ring of frosting around the top edge of the cake. Add half the jam filling to the center, then top with a layer of frosting, followed by half of the fresh strawberry slices, raspberries, and blueberries (NOT the sugared berries).
10. - Repeat with the second cake layer, using the remaining jam filling, more frosting, and the remaining fresh berries. Top with the final cake layer. If needed, add a white crumb coat layer and let it dry before adding a thicker layer of white frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
11. - Optional: Smooth the top of the cake with the Stainless Steel Icing Smoother.
12. - Add frosting to a decorating bag fitted with a large open round tip (such as #2A). Decorate the side of the cake with a horizontal pulled dot border covering the entire sides of the cake. The top of the cake will remain flat.
13. - Just before serving, add a ring of sugared berries on the top of the cake. Insert birthday candles on top center of the cake.