Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch cake pan with butter or oil. Whisk together flour and sugar in a medium bowl until combined. My first time making this I skipped mixing the dry ingredients separately and the cake came out dense—don't do that.

Beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl until slightly foamy, about 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla extract and olive oil until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into your flour mixture and stir until just combined—don't overmix or you'll get a tough cake.

Add the unsalted butter to the batter in small pieces and fold gently until you don't see streaks anymore. The batter will look a little shiny and thick, which is exactly what you want. Pour everything into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Your kitchen will smell absolutely amazing during this part. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.

Once the cake cools completely (about 30 minutes), slice it into 12 to 16 pieces depending on your board size. Arrange the cake pieces on a large wooden board or platter, leaving space between them. This 4th july dessert board cozy starts taking shape when you position pieces casually—not too perfect, which keeps it feeling homemade.

Scatter the strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries around the cake in little clusters of color. The berries should have some white space around them so guests can actually see what they're picking. Add small mounds of whipped cream in 2 or 3 spots on the board.

Sprinkle the white chocolate chips and toasted almonds across everything, filling any gaps and adding texture. Step back and look at your spread—if it feels bare anywhere, add more berries or almonds. This homemade dessert spread comes together in minutes once the cake cools, which is why I love making the cake earlier in the day.