Chocolate Cake with Blackberry Jam Buttercream

My friend at work just retired after over 25 years working in the library. While she’d already had her retirement party, I wanted to bring a cake for her last day of work. When I saw this cake, I knew that this was the one to make. It looked so decadent and yet so refined at the same time. I don’t see very many recipes with blackberries and since they grow so abundantly here, I was excited to give this cake a try. It seems very fancy and looks like it has many steps, but it is quite easy to put together.

The recipe I saw online used Bonne Maman blackberry jam, which happened to be on sale at the grocery store. I’m not sure that there are too many other varieties out there, but you could substitute any type of jam or preserves in the buttercream filling. The cake is the simplest one I think I have every made, easy as a cake mix: mix the dry ingredients and then add the liquids and stir. The cake came out of the oven and it just looked beautiful. It rose so high and it was perfectly rounded. I don’t think I have ever seen such a beautiful cake!

Both the filling and the frosting are simple, again just stirring together the ingredients. I filled the cake right away but let the frosting chill quite a bit before the final frosting of the cake. The frosting is quite soft and if you try to rush it, it will simply be too soft to work with. I added some rosettes on the top with some enormous fresh blackberries. It was picture perfect as a whole cake and when you cut in to the cake, you reveal the purple-pink blackberry filling. The folks at work were delighted. It turned out so well and I was happy to be able to share this with my friend on her last day at work. Happy Retirement!

Chocolate Cake with Blackberry Jam Buttercream

2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 cup hot water

I cup butter, softened
¾ cup blackberry jam
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups marshmallow cream
¾ teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment. Butter the parchment.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir on low to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, vegetable oil, vinegar and hot water and mix on medium until smooth. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes; remove the cakes from the pan and cool completely before frosting.

Make the blackberry buttercream filling: In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and the blackberry jam. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add the powdered sugar and stir until incorporated. Add additional powdered sugar if required to get to desired consistency.

Make the frosting: In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and melted chocolate; stirring until smooth. Add the marshmallow cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar and stir until incorporated. Chill 20 minutes before assembling the cake.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Top with the blackberry jam buttercream and then top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides with the chocolate cream frosting. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Always with Butter