Mixed-Berry Chiffon Cake with Almond Cream Cheese Frosting

Almond Cream Filling

1 c half and half

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1/3 c sugar

¼ c flour

2 large eggs

½ 7 oz. roll almond paste, diced

6 oz good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

2 T butter

2/3 c heavy whipping cream

Pour half and half into medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean; add bean and bring cream to simmer. Remove from heat; cover and steep 15 minutes. Blend sugar and flour in medium bowl. Whisk in eggs and warmed half and half mixture; return to same pan. Add almond paste. Whisk over medium heat until almond paste dissolves and custard boils, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Press plastic wrap onto custard; chill 3 hours. Beat cream into peaks; fold into custard in 3 additions. Cover and Chill at least 6 hours.

Cake

1 ½ c cake flour

1 ¼ c sugar

1 T baking powder

½ t salt

½ c luke warm water

½ cup vegetable oil

5 large eggs, separated

1 T vanilla extract

½ t almond extract

2 t grated lemon peel

1 c raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 325. Butter and flour 2 10-inch cake pans. Sift flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat ½ c luke warm water into dry ingredients; beat in oil, egg yolks, both extracts, and peel. Using clean, dry beaters, beat whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Measure 4 2/3 cups batter into 1 prepared pan and 3 1/3 cups batter into second pan.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes for thinner cake and 30 minutes for larger cake. Cool cakes completely.

Place thinner cake on cake plate. Spread with ½ cup preserves. Spoon 1 ½ cups almond filling in dollops atop preserves. Spread evenly. Chill until filling is firm, about 15 minutes.

Cut larger cake horizontally in half. Place 1 half, cut side down, atop chilled bottom cake layer. Spread with ½ cup preserves. Spoon 1 ½ cups filling in dollops atop preserves; spread evenly. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Cover cake and remaining filling and chill for three hours.

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting

2 ½ 8 oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature

½ c butter, room temperature

1 ½ c powdered sugar

1 T vanilla extract

¾ t almond extract

Assorted fresh berries (such as strawberries and blueberries)

Currant jelly, warmed

Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and both extracts in large bowl to blend. Beat in ¾ cup remaining filling. Spread 1 cup frosting thinly over sides and top of cake. Spread cake with remaining frosting, building high rim around top edge.

Mound berries on top of cake. Brush top of berries with warm jelly to glaze. Serve immediately or chill up to 6 hours.