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1
Preheat oven to 350F.
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2
Grease cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of wax paper.
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3
Grease paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
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4
Wet Magi-Cake strips and fasten around each pan.
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5
Whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla.
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6
Whisk salt into flour in another bowl.
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Beat butter (it should be room temperature) with sugar in a 5-qt.
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standing electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
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Add flour and egg mixture alternately in 3 batches, ending with egg mixture and beating on low speed just until incorporated.
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Divide batter among pans so each is filled to 1 inch from top.
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(If you have a wall oven or other small oven, see cooks' notes, below.)
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Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, with 12-inch pan on upper rack, 20 minutes.
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13
Gently turn pans in place so that part of cake that was toward back of oven now faces front and bake cakes until a tester comes out of each with a few crumbs adhering, 10 to 20 minutes more, depending on cake size.
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14
Transfer each cake as done to a rack to cool.
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15
Cool cakes slightly (9-inch and 6-inch cakes for 10 minutes; 12-inch cake for 20 minutes) and invert onto racks, peeling off paper.
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16
Turn cakes right side up and cool completely.
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Clean pans.
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18
Make second batch of batter; bake and cool cakes in same manner.
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Work with 12-inch cakes first.
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Trim top of each with long serrated knife to make level, then cut cakes horizontally in half.
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Put each 12-inch layer, cut side up, on an 11-inch cardboard round.
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Brush cut sides generously with syrup.
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Stir jam until smooth and spread about 2/3 cup on a 12-inch layer.
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Invert another 12-inch layer (with cardboard), cut side down, onto jam.
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Discard top cardboard round and spread about 2 1/2 cups frosting on top.
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26
Sprinkle with 1 layer of blackberries to cover frosting.
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(If berries are 1 inch or larger, halve them lengthwise.)
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Slide the third 12-inch layer, syrup side up, onto berries, discarding cardboard, and press gently.
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29
Spread about 1/2 cup jam on layer and invert the last 12-inch layer (with cardboard), cut side down, onto jam, then discard cardboard.
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30
Spoon 2 cups frosting onto 12-inch tier and cover cake with a thin coating.
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(This is called crumb-coating.
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It tamps down any loose crumbs to keep them out of the top layer of frosting and fills in any crevices.)
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Chill 12-inch tier while working on remaining tiers.
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Trim and halve 9-inch cakes similarly and put on 8-inch rounds.
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35
Brush cut sides generously with syrup.
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36
Assemble and crumb-coat 9-inch tier in same manner (use about 1/3 cup jam and 1 1/4 cups frosting between layers; crumb-coat with about 1 1/2 cups frosting).
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37
Chill 9-inch tier.
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38
Repeat procedure to make 6-inch tier (use about 2 1/2 tablespoons jam and about 3/4 cup frosting between layers; crumb-coat with about 3/4 cup frosting) and chill until firm.
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39
Reserve 2 cups frosting for piping.
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40
Place 12-inch tier on cake base (preferably on a cake turntable) and frost.
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Then frost remaining tiers.
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42
Chill frosted tiers (do not stack) at least 4 hours.
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Cut 3 straws in half and insert 1 straw piece in center of 12-inch tier all the way to bottom.
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Insert remaining 5 straw pieces in a circle about 1 1/2 inches from center straw and trim straws level with top of tier.
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(Straws support tiers.)
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46
Carefully put 9-inch tier (still on cardboard) in center of bottom tier.
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Cut remaining 2 straws in half and insert into middle tier in similar manner, with 1 straw piece in center and remaining 3 straw pieces in a circle around it.
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48
Carefully put 6-inch tier (still on cardboard) on top, in center of middle tier.
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49
Fill in any gaps between tiers and any imperfections with frosting and transfer the remainder to pastry bag fitted with 3/16-inch tip.
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50
Pipe a decorative border around the bottom edge of each tier.
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51
Save remaining frosting for touch-upsjust in case.
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52
Cake should come to room temperature before serving (it may stand at cool room temperature about 6 hours).
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53
Garnish cake with roses and serve slices with blackberries.
