Double Chocolate Chip Cake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream and Mixed Berry Filling (With chocolate strawberry truffles)

My family has a pretty close relationship with an ice cream store called Bruster’s. We go way back. It was our OG in PA, and is still on the top of our list in NC, although we have to drive a bit further now. This cake was inspired by an ice cream flavor they sell, called chocolate raspberry truffle. It’s a chocolate ice cream base, with almost gooey raspberry swirls, and what they call chocolate “flakes.” (Sidenote: just realizing that I should really buy the ice cream, to go along with this cake, when serving…or have I just gone too far…or just far enough?!) Anyway, this is a rich, chocolatey cake; enhanced by a raspberry emulsion, to emphasize the fruity-ness of the cocoa. The combo of berries and chocolate is well-loved and makes for a delicious and very pretty cake! My loyal cake eaters agreed that they enjoyed the bonus of the mini chips in the cake. Although, you are free to decide if you want to omit. I also found chocolate strawberry truffles, from Aldi, that I used to garnish the top of the cake.

For a two layer, 8 inch round cake:

2 cups AP flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup dutch process cocoa (I like Hershey’s Special Dark)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt

1/2 cup avocado oil (or neutral oil)

2 whole, large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tsp chocolate extract (like Nielsen Massey)

1 tsp raspberry emulsion for baking (like LorAnn’s)

1 cup, well shaken buttermilk, room temperature

1 cup hot water

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Cake soak:

1/4 cup whole milk

1 TBS raspberry emulsion

Berry Buttercream Filling:

1 cup of freeze dried strawberries or raspberries or combo, ground to a powder, then measured

1 cup of unsalted butter, (two sticks), at room temperature

3 TBS heavy cream, at room temperature

1 TBS raspberry emulsion

1tsp vanilla extract

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

Pinch of Himalayan pink salt or Kosher salt

Dark Chocolate Buttercream:

3 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 TBS whole milk, room temperature

9 ounces chopped dark chocolate, or semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled a bit (to not melt the butter or make buttercream too soft)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp raspberry emulsion (optional)

Pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (taste and adjust, as needed)

Prepare the chocolate cake batter:

Grease and line two 8 inch round cake pans with parchment paper/ circles, and preheat the oven to 350F, with a rack in the center of the oven.

In a large, glass measuring cup, or bowl with a spout preferably, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, chocolate extract and raspberry emulsion. Whisk well for several minutes to really break up the eggs and blend.

In the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salts. Whisk on low for 30 seconds to incorporate. Switch to the paddle attachment and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly stream in the egg mixture. Mix until just combined. Stop the mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, across the bottom and the paddle. With the mixer on low speed, slowly stream in the hot water. You should only need to mix for 1-2 minutes, until batter is fully mixed, but not longer. Divide the batter between the two cake pans evenly and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes and begin checking for doneness. The cakes are done with the center is firm and not wiggly, and bounces back when pressed in with your finger tip. Insert a cake tester into the center, and if there is any raw batter on it when you pull it out, continue to bake for 5 minutes. Then check it again.

Allow the cakes to cool for 15 minutes in the pans once removed from the oven. Then invert them onto the racks to cool completely. Do not frost cakes until they are at least room temperature!

Prepare the berry buttercream filling:

Using a small coffee bean grinder or food processor, grind a 1 oz bag of freeze dried berries into a fine powder. Then pass through a fine mesh sieve, into a mixing bowl, to remove any excess seeds. (Some seeds are fine.) Measure out one cup of powder, set aside.

In a clean mixing bowl, of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and light. Add two cups of powdered sugar and beat in on low speed. Add all of the berry powder next and beat in on low. Scrape down the bowl and paddle all over. Add the last cup of powdered sugar and the salt. In a small bowl, stir the extracts into the heavy cream. With the mixer on low, add the heavy cream mixture to the buttercream. Turn the speed up to medium low and beat for one minute. Scrape the bowl and adjust the flavor to your liking. When it’s all mixed, load in to a piping bag and set aside. Note: I used a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip, so that I could add some flowers to the top of the cake, with leftover filling buttercream.

Prepare the dark chocolate buttercream:

First, melt the chocolate so that it has some time to cool a bit. Use the microwave or stove top to melt and stir occasionally until completely smooth.

Cut up the 3 sticks of butter into one inch chunks. Add them to the clean mixing bowl, of the stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy. About 3 minutes. Add the emulsion and extract to the milk and stir them together in a small measuring cup. With the mixer on low, stream in the milk mixture and beat until smooth. Next, add the cooled, melted chocolate to the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for two minutes. Scrape all around the bowl and mix again until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and pinch of salt and mix again on low speed. Scrape the bowl again and mix on low for 30 seconds or until desired consistency is achieved.

Assembling the cake:

Trim any excess cake from the top of the cake layers, as needed, to make them flat. Use a sharp, serrated knife.

Prepare the milk soak by stirring the raspberry emulsion into the milk, in a small cup, and set aside. Have a pastry brush ready or small spoon to apply to cake layers.

Place the bottom cake layer on a cake circle or turn table. Use half of the milk soak mixture for the bottom cake layer. Pour, spread, brush it all over. Next, pipe or spread the berry buttercream all across that layer. Place the top cake layer on top of the filling, cut side down. Use the chocolate buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake and decorate as desired! Chill the cake for 30 minutes to set but serve at room temperature!

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