Directions

1. Place parchment paper liners on the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans. Sift cake flour into a small bowl. Beat egg yolks, 1/4 cup or 56 grams of sugar, and salt in a large bowl with a whisk until it looks pale. Add milk, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the yolk mixture and mix until blended. Add sifted cake flour and mix until very smooth. Ensure that there are no lumps of flour.
   
2. Whip egg whites in a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment until very fluffy. Add 1/4 cup or 56 grams of sugar after it looks very bubbly. Whip it until the tip curls up when you lift your whisk. Boil a small pot of water on the stove. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
   
3. Add half of the meringue and fold with a whisk until about fifty percent is incorporated. Add the rest of the meringue immediately and fold with a whisk until about 75% is blended. Switch to a spatula, clean the bottom and sides of the bowl, and fold until evenly incorporated, do not over-mix. Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared pans.
   
4. Swirl the surface with a toothpick and tap the pans several times to eliminate air bubbles. Pour hot water into two 9" cake pans and add the two 8" cake pans into them. Bake cake in the preheated oven with a water bath for 30 minutes until the top of the cake bounces back gently or a toothpick comes clean when inserting it in the center. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes then flip the pans off the pans and into a wire rack. Let cool completely before use.
   
5. Cut strawberries into big flat pieces and place on paper towels to remove excess moisture, set aside. In a bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment whip heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 1/2 tablespoons or 30 grams of sugar. Whip it until it is fluffy.
   
6. Spread the jam on the first layer of sponge cake, leaving about a half-inch space around the edge. Fill fresh strawberries on top of the jam. Drop a few big scoops of whipped cream on top of fresh strawberries. Push and fill the gaps between them and flatten the surface.
   
7. Coat the sides of the cake with the excess whipped cream and seal the fillings inside. Place the second layer on top, facing down the browned side. Finish the crumb coat by thinly spreading the cream on the sides and top of the cake. Finish the final coat by spreading the whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the top with fresh strawberries or any toppings you like.