Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries

Preparation

1. Make cake

   Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the middle. Butter the cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment, then butter the parchment.

   Step 2

   Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

   Step 3

   Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer at low speed, beat in the buttermilk until just combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing after each addition until just combined.

   Step 4

   Spread the batter in the cake pan, smoothing the top. Rap the pan on the counter to eliminate air bubbles.

   Step 5

   Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Discard the parchment and reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

2. Macerate berries

   Step 6

   Bring the Sherry and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Put the berries in a bowl and pour the hot syrup over them, gently tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.

3. Make ice cream and assemble cake

   Step 7

   Beat the mascarpone and cream with the granulated sugar in a large bowl until mixture just holds stiff peaks.

   Step 8

   Halve the cake horizontally with a long serrated knife. Reserve top half. Put the bottom half on a plate, then spread evenly with all of the cream and replace top half. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with berries.

4. Do ahead

   Step 9

   The CAKE, without cream, can be baked 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic wrap once cool and keep at room temperature.

   Step 10

   The BERRIES can macerate at room temperature up to 2 hours.