Prepare the sponge cake with the following variations: Reduce the vanilla to one teaspoon and add the almond extract. Grease and flour a rimmed baking sheet (such as a cookie sheet) instead of a 9×13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper. Bake the cake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until it feels set when lightly touched in the center. Cool completely in the pan.

Melt the chocolate and oil together in a microwave or double boiler, taking care not to overheat. Whisk until smooth.

When the cake is completely cool, cut into four even rectangles. (You can use a ruler for this and eat the scraps that don’t quite fit. It’s a scientific fact that cakes come out better when you eat the extra bits as you go along.)

Spread 1/4 to 1/2 cup of jam on each layer, stacking as you go along. Spread half the chocolate in a thin layer over the top of the cake. When the chocolate dries, flip the cake over carefully and spread the remaining chocolate over the top.

To store, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then seal it in a plastic bag.