Chocolate Berry Cake
This is a rich, fudgy and moist chocolate cake filled with mixed berry jam and frosted with silky smooth dark chocolate buttercream. It's finished with a dark chocolate ganache drip and decorated with fresh berries.
Ingredients
For the Mixed Berry Jam Filling
- 4 oz. (113 g) strawberries
- 4 oz. (113 g) blueberries
- 4 oz. (113 g) blackberries
- 4 oz. (113 g) raspberries
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
For the Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot coffee
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- pinch salt
- 3 oz. (85 g) dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- 5 tablespoon (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon (30-45 ml) heavy cream
For the Chocolate Ganache Drip
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 3 oz. (85 g) dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
For the Mixed Berry Jam
- Add the berries to a blender and blend until pureed.4 oz. (113 g) strawberries, 4 oz. (113 g) blueberries, 4 oz. (113 g) blackberries, 4 oz. (113 g) raspberries
- Add the berry puree, sugar and vanilla to a large pot.½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Simmer the mixture over medium low heat until thick, about 35-40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Once thick, remove the jam from the heat and allow it to completely cool.
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 6" cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar
- Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium then medium-high speed until smooth, pale in color and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.3 large eggs, at room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time, until all has been added, mixing on low then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.1 ¼ cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Add in the hot coffee and mix on low speed just until dispersed through the batter.½ cup (120 ml) hot coffee
- Evenly distribute the cake batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake the cakes for 39-44 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out from the centers with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to completely cool.
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- Add the butter and salt to a large bowl and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until pale in color and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.)¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, pinch salt
- Then add in the melted chocolate and mix on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, 1-2 minutes.3 oz. (85 g) dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- Sift in the cocoa powder and mix on low then medium speed until combined.5 tablespoon (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- Sift in the powdered sugar and add in the heavy whipping cream, a little at a time just until the right consistency is reached, mixing on low then medium-low speed until all is combined together. Then, mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 more minutes.1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoon (30-45 ml) heavy cream
Assembling the Cake
- STEP ONE Filling The Cake: Place a dollop of chocolate buttercream in the center of your cake turntable. Place the first cake layer over it. Then add a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake layer and even it out with your offset spatula, turning the cake table as you go. Add some of the frosting to a piping bag and cut off the tip so you have a half inch opening. Pipe a “border” layer of frosting just on the edges of the cake layer. Make sure the border of frosting is about ½ inch thick and 1 inch high. Then add about ¼-⅓ cup of mixed berry jam onto the cake layer. Place the next cake layer over top and repeat the step.
- STEP TWO Creating a Semi-Naked Cake: Then place the final layer over the top and place small dollops of frosting on the outsides and top of the cake. Even out the frosting as much as possible with your offset spatula. Then with your cake scraper, scrape the icing across the cake, turning the cake turntable as you go to make this as easy as possible. The frosting should be in a thin layer. Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- STEP THREE Making the Chocolate Ganache Drip: When the cake has about 15 minutes left to chill, make the chocolate ganache. Add the chopped chocolate to bowl and set aside. Add the cream to a small sauce pan and heat it over medium heat just until its steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it stand for 1-2 minutes. Then stir until the chocolate and cream are combined. Let the ganache cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a piping bag. (You can also use a squeeze bottle if you prefer.) Once the cake has finished chilling, squeeze chocolate ganache around the top edges of the cake. Then squeeze ganache on the top of the cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula or a back of the spoon. (I like to give it a swirl pattern by turning the cake turntable as I go.) Once the ganache drips are on the cake, pop it back in the fridge to chill for about 15 minutes, or until the ganache has set.½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, 3 oz. (85 g) dark chocolate, chopped
- STEP FOUR Decorating the Cake: Once the ganache has chilled on the cake, decorate it fresh berries. Then serve the cake!
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