The mixed aldol reaction is possible with cyclohexanone.
You take the product from the aldol of cyclohexanone and the benzaldehyde and react it with cyclohexanone. See if you can come up with the other possibilities.
I'm sorry but your new scheme is worse than the one you gave in. The acid chloride of formic acid, I'm not sure it exists. Try and find a route by making a benzoate from benzene.