Moist, Seedless, Blackberry Filled Chocolate Cake
This seedless blackberry-filled chocolate cake, paired with a luscious blackberry filling, is delicious and moist. The cake's texture is so tender and chocolate-rich, while the blackberry filling provides a delightful burst of flavor. This delectable and moist cake is sure to have you and your guests savoring every bite in no time!
Equipment
- 3 8-inch cake pans or you can use 2 9-inch cake pans
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 3/4 cups flour - sifted
- 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa (don't use Dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe).
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil avocado, vegetable, canola, coconut oils,
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk you can make this yourself. See notes
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
Chocolate Ganache
- 2-4 oz Semi-sweet chocolate bars Baker's brand, Ghirardelli
- 1 cup Heavy cream
Blackberry Filling
- 2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen (thawed))
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup orange juice Fresh or ready made
- zest of one lemon
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (more if you want the blackberries sweeter)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
The cake:
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (177℃). Grease pans (3 8-inch or 2 9-inch) and line with parchment paper. I use parchment paper rounds, but you can cut out the rounds from rolled parchment paper.
- Whisk together in a large bowl the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and expresso powder (optional). Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add buttermilk and mix until combined. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment if you like, but I use a whisk and a little muscle (super easy) to mix together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the hot water or coffee and whisk on low speed until the batter is smooth and completely combined. The batter is really thin.
- Divide batter into your pans. Bake 20 - 26 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean the cakes are done. Start checking the cakes at 20 minutes. The size of the pan will determine the amount of bake time (the bigger surface of the pan such as a 9-inch will take less time than an 8-inch pan). Be vigil, you don't want to overbake the cakes, or they will be dry.
- Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack until completely cooled.
Seedless Blackberry Filling:
- Add the blackberries, water, orange juice and lemon juice (wait to add the zest until after straining the blackberry seeds) to a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds. This helps to breakdown the seed and makes it easier to push them through a sieve.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer on top of a 2–3-quart pot and strain the blackberries mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, press the mixture through the strainer to get as much of the liquid as possible. Be sure to scrap the bottom of the strainer with a clean spatula to get the residual liquid. Continue this until your left with mostly seeds. It can be a little bit of work, but so worth it to remove those pesky seeds from the filling. Discard the seeds left in the strainer.
- Add the cornstarch and powdered sugar and mix thoroughly with a whisk.
- Add in the lemon zest
- On the stovetop over medium heat, stir the mixture frequently
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, add the butter and stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
- Remove from the stove and place it in a bowl and put it in the fridge to completely cool. If you want to use immediately, spread the mixture out on a sheet pan to hurry the cooling process and the place it in the fridge for another 15 minutes to completely cool before using.
Chocolate Ganache for frosting the cake:
- Place chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it gently simmers (do not boil the cream - that's too hot).
- Pour the cream over the chocolate and let is sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slowly stir the mixture to combine. Start with small strokes in the middle, then move out as the it starts to come together.
- Cool for about an hour but still pliable and spreadable. It if to set and is tough to spread simply put it in the microwave for about 30 secs. Stir and check it to see if it's spreadable. Don't microwave so much that you need to let cool again.
Bringing it all to together:
- Once the cakes have cooled completely, the blackberry sauce has been prepared and chilled, and the ganache has set for a few hours, you are ready to assemble your masterpiece
- Start by placing one cake on a platter or cake round. Pipe a ring of ganache around the rim of the cake (If the ganache is too stiff to pipe heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds prior to putting it into the piping bag). This ring around the cake will help to hold in the blackberry filling. Divide the filling between to cake layers and spoon it onto the cake.
- Add the second layer and repeat the previous step. Create a ring around the cake and fill with the blackberry filling.
- Add the last cake layer and frost the entire cake with the ganache.
- To decorate: pipe chocolate flowers on top and place a blackberry on each flower.
- Place in refrigerator to set.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Making your own buttermilk is very easy. Add 1 TBSP white vinegar or lemon to a 1 cup measure. Add in whole milk to the top to level out to 1 cup. Stir and let sit for a few minutes.