Ingredients
**For the Cake Layers**
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup dark cocoa powder
½ cup blackberry purée (fresh or frozen, strained)
1 teaspoon black gel food coloring (optional)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
**For the Blackberry Cream Filling**
8 oz cream cheese, softened
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup blackberry reduction
½ cup powdered sugar (optional)
**For the Gothic Frosting**
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup cocoa powder (use dark or black cocoa)
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup blackberry purée
Optional: 1 tsp edible charcoal or more black gel coloring
Instructions
1. Simmer blackberries until soft, mash, strain, and let cool to make a purée.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy using a stand or hand mixer.
4. Add eggs, vanilla, and blackberry purée to the butter mixture and mix until smooth.
5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined.
6. Divide batter into parchment-lined pans and bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes. Cool completely.
7. Whip cream cheese and blackberry reduction, then fold in whipped cream. Add sugar if needed.
8. Layer cake rounds with cream filling and frost the outside with gothic frosting.
9. Optional: Add dramatic decorations like berry drips, florals, or chocolate shards.
Notes
Make blackberry purée in advance for faster prep.
To deepen color, use black cocoa or edible charcoal.
For neat layers, chill the cake between frosting steps.
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze cake layers unfrosted for up to 2 months.
Serve with fresh berries for contrast.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 39g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 95mg