FOR THE RASPBERRY FILLING

• The sugar and raspberries should be placed in a small saucepan, and the mixture should be brought to a simmer. Keep tossing the mixture frequently while it is cooking for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the berries have broken down and the sauce has slightly thickened. After sifting the cornstarch into the pan, give it a thorough stir. Maintain the cooking process for approximately one more minute, and then take the dish off the heat. After the raspberries have been cooked, remove the seeds by passing them through a strainer with a fine screen. It is recommended that you make use of a flexible silicone spatula or the back of a spoon in order to press the sauce through the strainer. This will ensure that the maximum amount of the berries remain through the strainer.
• Put to the side to cool down completely. It is possible to prepare this up to a couple of days in ahead and store it in the refrigerator until it is time to use it.

FOR THE CAKE

• Prepare two cake pans about 8 inches in diameter and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, I use a circle of parchment paper to separate the bottom of mine so that it can be removed with ease.
• The butter should be melted in a microwave or a small saucepan, and then it should be allowed to cool.
• You should put the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, milk, and melted butter into a big mixing bowl and whisk all of the ingredients together until they are completely smooth.
• Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt that has been mixed together in a separate bowl to the liquid ingredients. Whisk until everything is combined. To blend, but avoid overmixing the ingredients.
• Last but not least, incorporate the vinegar and hot water into the batter, and continue to fold it together until all of the components are thoroughly evenly distributed. Because of the reaction between the vinegar and the baking soda, the batter will be quite thin, and you might even notice that it begins to fizz a little bit with the vinegar. This is not a problem!
• A toothpick that is pushed into the center of the cake should come out without any wet batter clinging to it. Bake the cake for thirty to thirty-five minutes, until it has risen and turned golden, and a toothpick that has been inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• After allowing the cakes to cool for fifteen minutes, run a blunt knife down the edges of the pans and then flip them over onto a cooling rack so that they can finish chilling completely before icing.

FOR THE RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

• It is recommended to use a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment (or electric beaters) to cream the butter for a minute or two until it is completely smooth.
• Add the confectioner’s sugar that has been sifted, approximately one cup at a time, doing a thorough mixing between each addition.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, vanilla essence, salt, and raspberry filling. In accordance with your preferences regarding flavor and texture, you are free to add a little bit more or less of the liquid components. However, you should be sure to leave around a quarter cup or so of raspberry filling to add to the center of your cake. The frosting should be beaten until it is smooth and creamy.
• A layer of raspberry buttercream should be applied to the first layer of cake, and then a thin layer of the remaining raspberry filling should be placed on top of that layer. You can then frost the cake. The second layer of cake should be placed on top, and the remaining frosting should be used to cover the top and sides of the cake. If you so want, garnish with some fresh raspberries.