Description
Midnight’s dark romance chocolate blackberry cake emerges as a seductive dessert blending rich cocoa with tangy fruit. Silky ganache and fresh blackberries create an elegant dessert you’ll crave with each luxurious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) blackberry puree
- 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) milk (buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk)
- 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) boiling water
- 1 cup (150 g/5.3 oz) fresh blackberries, chopped
- 1 cup (175 g/6.2 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup (227 g/8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (480 ml/16 fl oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g/14.1 oz) sugar
- 4 cups (480 g/16.9 oz) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml/4 fl oz) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
- ½ cup (120 ml/4 fl oz) blackberry puree
- ¾ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsps light corn syrup or honey
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- Purple or aubergine food coloring (optional)
- ½ t
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and meticulously line four 8-inch cake pans with butter and parchment paper for effortless cake removal.
- Dry Ingredients: Blend chocolate and espresso powder in a large mixing bowl, creating a rich, aromatic foundation for the cake.
- Batter Creation: Merge wet and dry ingredients, whisking until the mixture transforms into a silky, homogeneous chocolate batter.
- Fruit Integration: Delicately fold chopped blackberries throughout the batter, ensuring an even distribution of vibrant fruit pockets.
- Baking Process: Distribute batter evenly across prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, confirming doneness with a clean toothpick test.
- Cooling Stage: Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, preserving their delicate structure.
- Frosting Development: Whip butter until ethereally light, gradually introducing powdered sugar and blackberry puree to create a luxurious, smooth frosting with nuanced fruit undertones.
- Ganache Preparation: Gently heat cream until it shimmers, then pour over finely chopped chocolate, allowing natural melting while stirring from the center outward to achieve a glossy, seamless finish.
- Final Assembly: Layer chocolate cakes with blackberry frosting, then enrobe the entire confection in decadent chocolate ganache, creating a stunning visual masterpiece.
- Presentation: Artfully crown the cake with whole fresh blackberries, elevating the dessert with an elegant, sophisticated touch.
Notes
- Prepare Pans Perfectly: Use parchment paper and butter to guarantee seamless cake removal without sticking or tearing.
- Espresso Chocolate Tip: Adding a small amount of espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor without creating a coffee taste.
- Blackberry Distribution Technique: Toss chopped berries in a light dusting of flour before folding into batter to prevent sinking and ensure even spread.
- Ganache Glossiness Secret: Stir chocolate mixture from center outward and avoid over-mixing to achieve a stunning, mirror-like surface with maximum shine.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 42 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg