Martha Stewart 1-2-3-4 Lemon Cake

Directions

• Prepare the pans: Heat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange two racks in the center. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then dust with flour and tap out the excess.
• Sift the dry ingredients: Sift 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Set it aside while you make the batter.
• Cream butter and sugar: Beat 1 cup butter on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, then gradually add 2 cups granulated sugar and beat 3 to 4 minutes until lightened. Drizzle in the 4 beaten eggs a little at a time, beating about 5 minutes until the batter is no longer slick.
• Add flour and buttermilk: On low speed, add the flour mixture and 1 1/4 cups buttermilk alternately, a little of each at a time. Begin and end with flour, then beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and the zest of 2 lemons.
• Bake the layers: Divide the batter between the pans and bake 25 minutes, then rotate the pans for even browning. Keep baking 10 to 20 minutes more until a tester comes out clean, then cool in the pans 15 minutes before turning out onto racks.
• Stack with lemon curd: Peel off the parchment and slice each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Save the prettiest domed layer for the top, then stack the other three with 1 cup lemon curd on each, stopping 1/2 inch from the edges.
• Chill the cake: Move the partly assembled cake to the refrigerator. That keeps the curd firm while you whip the cream.
• Whip the cream: Whip the heavy cream on medium speed for 2 to 4 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar, then whip 2 to 3 minutes until the soft peaks return.
• Finish and serve: Just before serving, set the reserved dome on top and spoon the whipped cream over it. Scatter 12 ounces of mixed berries over the cream, then dust with confectioners' sugar through a fine sieve.