Chocolate Cake with Cream and Berries

With Valentine's Day coming up, chocolate season is in full swing. This recipe makes one of the best chocolates cakes I've ever made. The cake itself is so moist and light that I can never just eat a normal portion (there's a 2 slice minimum with this cake). For that reason, I also like to top the cake with whipped cream and berries. I am sure the chocolate frosting from the original recipe is delicious, but I like to keep the cake a little lighter.

With the addition of berries, you can make the the ultimate Valentines' Day dessert. Add lots of berries or just a few for a splash of color, that part doesn't matter too much. Use whatever berries you can find. I had raspberries and blackberries on hand, so that's what I used. You can also add as much of as little cream to the cake as you'd like. I am really impatient when it comes to frosting cakes, so if I can avoid frosting the whole thing, I will. If you feel like covering the entire cake in freshly whipped cream, do so, just make sure the cream is beaten until stiff.

Cake recipe from Ina Garten

butter, for greasing pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee
1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped, or more if desired
1 cup mixed berries, or more if desired

Preheat your oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Grease 2 round 8"x2" cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachement, sift together the flour, sugar, coca powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix at low speed to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Mix until combined. Keep mixer running and add the coffee until just combined. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything has been mixed.

Pour the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Once cooled, remove the cakes from the cake pans. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Top with half the whipped cream and sprinkle with half the berries. Place the other cake layer over the berries. Top with the remaining cream and arrange the berries on top. Pin It Now!