Chocolate Cake with Berry Buttercream & Berry Compote

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease the parchment too. (This extra step makes sure the cakes pop right out without sticking.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
3. In another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk/beat until smooth, then add the buttermilk and sour cream and mix until everything comes together.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the hot water or coffee, then whisk on low speed until the batter is smooth.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. (I usually weigh each pan to make sure they have the same weight in grams). Bake for 23–26 minutes, checking with a toothpick in the center, when it comes out clean, the cakes are ready. Keep an eye on them, since every oven is a little different.
6. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack until completely cool.

Berry Compote

1. While the cakes are baking, make the compote. Add the frozen berries and sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir as it warms up, letting the berries soften and release their juices.
2. Once the mixture comes to a gentle boil, sprinkle in the cornstarch and stir well to avoid clumps. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and reduces by roughly half.
3. Transfer the compote to a bowl and let it chill in the fridge while the cakes finish baking and cooling. The compote should be jammy but still spoonable, perfect for layering between the cake and buttercream.

Berry Buttercream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until it’s pale, light, and fluffy.
2. With the mixer on low, slowly mix in the powdered sugar. Then add the blackberry juice, cocoa powder, heavy cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
3. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and let it whip for another 5 minutes until the buttercream is smooth, airy, and beautifully tinted with pink/purple color.

Chocolate Pieces (Optional)

1. Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place 200g of chocolate in a clean, microwave-safe glass or plastic bowl. Set aside the remaining 10g. You’ll use it later for tempering. Microwave the chocolate in 20-second bursts, stirring well each time so it melts evenly and doesn’t burn.
3. You’re aiming for about 40°C. If it’s not quite there, keep microwaving in short bursts and stirring in between until it reaches temperature.
4. Add the last 10g of chocolate to the warm melted chocolate. Stir continuously until it melts completely.
5. Pour the tempered chocolate onto the prepared parchment. Use a palette knife (or an offset spatula) to spread it out into a thin, even layer. Work quickly so it doesn’t set before you finish.
6. Leave the chocolate to cool and harden completely on the parchment. Once firm, snap it into shards of any size and shape you like. They don’t need to be perfect, that’s part of the charm