1. Bring butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature.
2. With oven rack positioned in center of oven, preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray bottoms and sides of two 6” round cake pans with cooking oil or grease with butter. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper circle. Line interior sides of pans with strips of parchment paper, overlapping ends. Spray lightly with cooking spray.

3. In order to keep cakes level and even while baking, it is recommended that insulated baking strips (e.g., Bake Even Strips) be applied to the exterior sides of the cake pans, following manufacturer’s directions that usually involves soaking them in water for several minutes.

4. In small bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together to aerate the dry ingredients. Set aside.

5. Crack each egg, individually, into small separate prep bowls. Beat lightly with either a fork or small whisk, just enough to break up the egg and combine the yolk and white.

6. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium high speed until it is soft and pliable. Reduce speed to medium and gradually add the sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as necessary, until mixture is pale in color and fluffy in texture.

7. Add the eggs, one at a time, along with approximately ½ tablespoon of the flour mixture with each egg addition. This will help prevent the batter from curdling. Beat mixture well after each egg addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat just until combined.

8. Remove bowl from stand mixer and, by hand using a rubber or silicone spatula, gently fold in half of the remaining flour mixture into the batter. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture, folding the ingredients just until they are incorporated into the batter. Lastly, add the milk in the same manner to incorporate with the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Divide batter equally between the two prepared pans, smoothing out the batter evenly.

9. Bake cakes in center of oven rack for approximately 20-22 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and transfer pans to wire cooling rack. Let cakes rest in pans for about 8-10 minutes before removing from pans. Peel off and discard parchment paper and carefully turn cakes right side up onto a wire rack. Cool cakes completely before filling and assembling cake.

Filling: Beat the whipping cream on high speed until very soft peaks show signs of starting to form (see Note 2 below). Reduce speed slightly and slowly add the caster sugar followed by the vanilla or almond extract and beat until soft peaks form.

Assembly: Place one cake, top side down, on serving plate. Spread with the jam followed by the whipping cream. Top with remaining cake, top side up. If desired, sprinkle with icing sugar at time of serving. Decorate with fresh strawberries or raspberries, if desired.