Wash and hull the strawberries.

Set aside a dozen whole strawberries for decoration.

Slice the remaining strawberries and toss them with lemon juice and 1 tbsp sugar to enhance their natural sweetness. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until well combined and airy.

Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the diluted strawberry syrup. Be careful not to soak them too much—you want them moist but firm.

Arrange the ladyfingers vertically around the sides of a 7-inch springform pan and cover the bottom with a layer of dipped ladyfingers.

Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers.

Add a layer of sliced strawberries on top.

Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers, cream, and strawberries.

Finish with a final layer of mascarpone cream on top.

Gently press everything down and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Carefully remove the cake from the pan by sliding a knife around the edges.

Decorate with whole strawberries on top and optionally dust with powdered sugar or add fresh mint leaves for a touch of elegance.