Description
Whipping up Blackberry Velvet Gothic Cake brings dark culinary drama to your dessert table, creating a dramatic slice of pure deliciousness. Deep berry colors and rich chocolate layers make this cake a showstopping treat for anyone craving something wonderfully unexpected.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.75 cups granulated sugar
- 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee
- 0.5 cup blackberry puree
- 2 large eggs
Supportive Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter
- 4.5 cups powdered sugar
- 0.5 cup blackberry puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dark food coloring
- Fresh blackberries
- Edible flowers
- Edible glitter or black cocoa powder
Instructions
- Pulverize blackberries in a blender until completely smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer, extracting ½ cup pure seedless puree. Reserve for cake and frosting.
- Warm your oven to 350°F. Coat three 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Combine 2 ½ cups flour, 1 ¾ cups sugar, ¾ cup dark cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and ½ cup blackberry puree in a separate bowl until thoroughly blended.
- Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Pour 1 cup cooled coffee into batter, stirring until just combined.
- Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Spread evenly with a spatula.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick inserted into cake center.
- Remove cakes from oven. Let rest in pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire cooling racks.
- Beat 1 ½ cups softened butter until creamy and light. Gradually incorporate 4 ½ cups powdered sugar.
- Mix in ½ cup blackberry puree and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat frosting until fluffy.
- Level cake layers if needed. Place first layer on cake stand. Spread thick buttercream between each layer.
- Frost entire cake smoothly. Optional: create textured gothic-style frosting.
- Decorate top with fresh blackberries. Dust with black cocoa powder for dramatic effect.
Notes
- Strain the blackberry puree thoroughly to ensure a smooth, seed-free texture in your buttercream and cake batter.
- Use room temperature ingredients to help the cake batter mix evenly and create a more consistent crumb.
- For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum.
- Create a vegan adaptation by replacing eggs with flax eggs and using dairy-free butter and buttermilk alternatives.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg