Chocolate Cake with Mixed Berry and Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar (granulated)
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup of hot coffee

Mixed Berry Filling

• 1 1/2 pounds mixed berries (frozen)
• 1/3 cup sugar (granulated)
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon butter (melted, for pans)

Cream Cheese and Whipped Cream Filling

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup cream cheese

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8-ounce chocolate chips (semisweet)
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

For Topping

• 3/4 cup fresh strawberries (sliced (optional))

Directions

1. oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Two cake pans, each measuring 8 inches in diameter, are required. To fit the cake pans, cut out two rings of parchment paper. Put the parchment paper inside and generously grease each pan with some melted butter.

3. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the mixing bowl of your mixer. On low speed, combine everything using the paddle attachment. Combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix the dry ingredients after adding the wet ones. Add the coffee gradually while mixing on low speed until everything is well mixed. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl's bottom, then mix as necessary. Equally, divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.

4. The cake should be cooked for 35 to 40 minutes, or until done. Put a toothpick in the center of the cake and see whether it comes out clean. If it does, the cake is done. Once the cake has cooled in the pans for approximately 30 minutes, remove it and allow it to cool fully on a cutting board or a cooling rack.

5. The mixed berries should be added to a medium pot. Add the cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice to it. The bag of mixed berries I used had blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Cook this mixture until it thickens over medium heat. If you don't keep stirring, it can settle at the bottom. The mixture will thicken for the final 5 to 10 minutes, or until done.

6. Heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee are combined in a small pot and heated in a double boiler over boiling water. This will just take a few minutes to prepare—less than five—but you will need to stir occasionally. Let cool fully and store in the fridge if necessary.

7. You'll need heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract, and cream cheese to make the cream cheese and whipped cream topping. Start by adding the heavy cream to the mixer's bowl and blending it until soft peaks have formed and the cream has thickened. After the cream cheese is completely integrated into the whipped cream, add the other ingredients and stir well. For easy mixing, the cream cheese has to be at room temperature. The mixture has to be sufficiently thick to spread.

8. To build the cake, divide each cake into three or two pieces, first removing the top of the cake to provide an equal top layer. Place the first piece of cake on a plate, followed by a layer of fruit filling, a second cake piece, cream cheese filling, a third cake piece, fruit filling, a fourth cake piece, cream cheese filling, and the final piece of cake.

9. For the cake to solidify, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours. After a few hours, use a sharp knife to remove the uneven portions of the cake's sides. The ganache should be evenly distributed over the cake's top and sides using a cake spatula. Add some strawberry slices on top.