Blackberry Chocolate Cake + Blackberry Mascarpone Filling

Blackberry Chocolate Cake: three layers of dark chocolate cake, filled with blackberry mascarpone cream and frosted with a fudgy blackberry chocolate buttercream.

It’s hard to believe, but today Flour Covered Apron officially turns one year old! When I started this blog a year ago, I wasn’t sure where exactly it would take me. I just knew that I a) needed a creative outlet for my rediscovered addiction to baking, and b) wanted to connect with a larger community of passionate bakers!

I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge there have been a lot of ups and downs with my blog. It’s quite literally been the product of my blood, sweat, and tears over the past year, and while I’ve often felt proud & excited, there’ve also been many days where I’ve just felt like quitting. But looking back, it’s been an incredibly rewarding journey and I’ve learned much more than I ever expected to!

It wasn’t all that long ago that I could never imagine myself being a food blogger (or any sort of entrepreneur, photographer, recipe developer, web designer, or writer for that matter). Starting Flour Covered Apron has pushed me out of my comfort zone in a million ways and I’ve been as surprised as anyone to find myself here.

Drive, and inspiration, and a passion for baking have certainly been instrumental in keeping me going, but most of all, it’s the community I’ve gotten to connect with along the way. You all encourage, challenge, and inspire me every single day. Whether you’re a fellow baker, blogger, photographer, foodie, or just a friend… thank you for tagging along! You are simply the best!

So, to celebrate today’s anniversary, I made this blackberry chocolate cake. It’s very much inspired by a similar recipe from Fork Knife Swoon, but I made a few adaptations, including adding in a blackberry mascarpone filling.

The chocolate cake is made with my favorite dark chocolate batter, which comes out of the oven rich, moist, and chocolatey! The key is pouring hot coffee into the batter at the end. It makes all the difference in bringing out the chocolate flavor, without making the cake actually taste like coffee.

While the cakes cool, you’ll want to simmer some blackberries on the stove, along with a little bit of sugar. The syrup from the blackberry compote will be drizzled into the chocolate buttercream, while the mashed blackberries will be swirled into the mascarpone filling. For some extra texture and flavor, I did add a little bit of the mashed blackberries to the buttercream, too (optional).

And the final finishing touch? A pile of fresh blackberries on top! Simple, rustic, and naturally gorgeous.

Make sure to keep this blackberry chocolate cake refrigerated, since the filling is made up of mascarpone cheese. I recommend removing the cake from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before serving.

Please note that this page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools and brands I know, use, and trust. Thank you for helping to support my blog!

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Blackberry Chocolate Cake + Blackberry Mascarpone Filling

Three layers of dark chocolate cake, filled with blackberry mascarpone cream and frosted with a fudgy blackberry chocolate buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberries, buttercream, cake, chocolate, dark chocolate, mascarpone

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 1 eight-inch cake

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Cake

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk*
• 1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup very hot coffee

Blackberry Puree

• 12 ounces blackberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Blackberry Chocolate Buttercream

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups powdered sugar**
• 7-8 tablespoons blackberry syrup, reserved from blackberry compote (above)

Blackberry Mascarpone Cream

• 8 ounces mascarpone, softened
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons mashed blackberries, reserved from blackberry compote (above)

For Assembly

• 6 ounces blackberries

Instructions

Dark Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare three 8" cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Then, butter and flour the pans.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add the eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Then, pour in the hot coffee and whisk just until combined.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 30-34 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached). Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then turn each cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Blackberry Compote

1. Add the blackberries and sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir together and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the juices are released and the mixture is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. You can use a wooden spoon or spatula to help break down the berries as they cook.

2. Remove the pan from heat and press the compote through a fine mesh sieve, separating the berry syrup from the mashed blackberries. Reserve both and let cool completely.

Blackberry Chocolate Buttercream

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

2. Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually add the cocoa powder, then the powdered sugar, mixing until combined. Finally, add the blackberry syrup a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.*** Beat until smooth.

Blackberry Mascarpone Cream

1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the softened mascarpone, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.

2. Carefully fold in the mashed blackberries. For a swirled pattern, do not incorporate completely.

Assembling the Cake

1. Once the cakes are completely cool, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to level each cake. Using a small amount of buttercream, secure the first layer to a cardboard cake board.

2. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large, round pastry tip with the blackberry chocolate buttercream. Pipe a dam of buttercream all the way around the edge of the first layer of cake, then fill the center with blackberry mascarpone cream. Repeat with the second layer.

3. Finally, place the third layer on top, cut side down. Frost the top and sides of the cake as desired with the remaining buttercream, then garnish with fresh blackberries. Store finished cake in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

This recipe was adapted from Fork Knife Swoon.

*You can also substitute a scant 1 1/3 cup whole milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.

**For a sweeter filling, you may add more powdered sugar.

***If desired, you may also add a couple tablespoons of the mashed blackberries.