Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line the bottom of two 10-inch (25 cm) cake pans with removable sides or two springform pans with parchment paper. Generously grease the sides. If you only have one pan of that size, bake one cake layer after the other.

Beat the butter with the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks until creamy and pale yellow. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Fold it into the dough until no traces of flour remain. Add the milk.

Divide the dough among the two pans and even it out with a knife or a spatula. Bake on the center rack in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until is it a pale yellow and a cake tester comes out clean. Leave the oven on.

Remove the sides of the pans and transfer the parchment paper with the cake layers to a wire rack.

Beat the egg whites with the sugar until very stiff and glossy. Place the two baked cake layers with the parchment on a large baking sheet next to each other. Divide the meringue among the two cakes and spread it with a knife of a spatula, it does not have to be look neat but the meringue should be about the same level so it bakes evenly. Sprinkle the almonds on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and bake for another 8 minutes, or until the meringue is not longer soft to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the cakes in the oven for another 10 minutes, during which time the meringue will harden and darken some more.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack, meringue side up. Let one cake (the bottom layer, the less prettier one) cool completely. While it is still warm, place the other cake (choose the prettier one for the top layer) onto a cutting board and cut in into 12 neat slices. Place the slices exactly in the order that you cut them back on the parchment and let cool.

Place the gooseberries in a large skillet in a single layer. Add the water and the sugar. If the gooseberries are very sour, add more sugar to taste but they should remain rather tart, as the rest of the cake is sweet. Slowly bring the water to the simmer and cook the gooseberries until they just start to soften, 1 to 3 minutes depending on the size. Do not overcook them or they will turn mushy. Carefully remove them to a large plate using a slotted spoon.

Pour the poaching liquid into a small saucepan and set aside.

To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer, meringue side up, on a cake plate. Cover it with the drained gooseberries, gently pressing them into the meringue.

Dilute the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add this to the saucepan with the poaching liquid. Slowly bring it to the boil, stirring constantly. As it thickens the liquid will turn from opaque to clear. Immediately drizzle it over the gooseberries. Let cool.

Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until stiff. Spread it over the gooseberry layer.

Neatly place the second cake layer on top, fitting the individual pieces snuggly next to each other. Refrigerate until serving.