Blueberry Chocolate Cake
This heavenly blueberry chocolate cake is made with fresh blueberries. A simple, yet impressive cake that will wow your family and friends!
Servings 10 -12, approximately
Equipment
- two 8-inch (20 cm) pans
- hand mixer
- mixing bowls
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the cake
- ¾ cup (64 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (125ml / 4 fl oz) hot strong coffee (or hot water)
- 1½ cups (200g /7 oz) all purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk (125ml) (or use regular milk mixed with ½ tablespoon of vinegar)
- ¼ cup (60ml) light vegetable oil
For the blueberry sauce
- 1 cup fresh blueberries (150g/5.3oz) + a few extra to decorate, washed and patted dry
- ¼ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) sugar
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
For the blueberry cream cheese frosting
- 17.6 oz (500g) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2-2½ cups (300 g / 10.5 oz) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup (about 45g) blueberry sauce (from above)
Instructions
Make the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃. Butter two 8 inch pans and dust with cocoa powder. Then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and the coffee (or hot water) together. Set it aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, the salt, the baking powder, and the baking soda.
- In another bowl, whisk together the cooled cocoa/coffee mixture, the buttermilk, the eggs and the oil.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture all at once, and whisk to combine. The batter will be thin (see the pictures in the post).
- Distribute the batter evenly among the pans and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- When the cakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about half an hour. Then run a knife around the edges and flip the pans over to release the cakes.
- Remove the parchment paper and let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- If you want to trim the tops of the cakes, put them in the refrigerator for at least half an hour first. The colder they are, the easier they'll be to trim.
Make the blueberry sauce
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch (this will help remove any lumps).
- Add the water and whisk together until it's smooth.
- Add the blueberries and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Bring to a boil and smash a few blueberries as they become softer. Cook the sauce until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. You can also put it in the refrigerator to cool it down faster.
Make the blueberry cream cheese frosting
- Beat the butter on high speed until it's light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar in 3 batches. Beat on high for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat until it's just combined and smooth.
- Add ¼ cup of the blueberry sauce from above and beat until it's just combined. Don't overmix it or it could get runny. Reserve the remaining blueberry sauce to decorate the cake.
- This frosting is softish, but if you want it a bit thicker, you can add more powdered sugar.
Assemble and decorate the cake
- Place a cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Add half of the frosting on top and smooth it out. (If you want, you could add some blueberry sauce on top.)
- Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Add the remaining frosting on top and smooth it out evenly.
- Add the remaining blueberry sauce on top and swirl it into the frosting using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula.
- Add some more fresh blueberries on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
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- I suggest using a digital scale to accurately weigh all the ingredients for the best results.
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- Chilling the cake layers for at least half an hour makes it a lot easier to trim and then frost.
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- Please keep in mind that every oven is different and baking times may vary.
- You can store this cake in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap individual slices (with the frosting and blueberry sauce) with plastic wrap and then place in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to about 2 months.
