Blackberry Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Icing Food

RED VELVET CAKE WITH BLACKBERRY-CREAM CHEESE WHIPPED FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Liberally prepare 3 9-inch round cake pans with the nonstick method of your choice.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed. Slowly add the oil and buttermilk.
• Increase the speed to medium-low and add the eggs 1 at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Slowly add the coffee, vanilla extract, vinegar, and food coloring. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a layer comes out clean. Do not overbake.
• Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks. Let cool to room temperature. Lightly cover the cakes with foil or plastic wrap so they do not dry out.
• For the blackberry compote:
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the blackberries, granulated sugar, lime juice, and salt. Once the blackberries begin releasing their juices and the liquid begins to boil, after about 8 to 12 minutes, use a pastry cutter or fork to mash 1/2 of the berries. Leave the rest whole.
• Stir in the cornstarch and continue to cook at a boil, allowing the juices to cook down and thicken. The compote is ready when the liquid coats and completely sticks to the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature.
• For the frosting:
• Clean your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Beat the cream cheese on high speed until it begins to thicken and become fluffy.
• Turn your mixer down to low speed and carefully add the confectioners' sugar. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, turn your mixer speed back up and continue whipping. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue to whip until the frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy. Refrigerate the buttercream for 30 minutes to firm it up.
• To assemble:
• Once the layers are completely cooled, place 1 layer on a serving plate. Spread just the top with ⅓ of the frosting. Add ⅓ of the compote over the frosting. Using a butter knife or skewer, swirl the compote into the frosting. Add the second layer and spread with another ⅓ of the frosting. Add ⅓ of the compote, swirling the compote into the frosting again. Add the final layer, bottom-side up, and top with the remaining frosting. Add the rest of the compote and repeat the swirling process. Do not frost the side of the cake. Garnish with the whole blackberries. Serve at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

BLACKBERRY VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 17 1/2" x 11 1/2" jelly roll pan with foil or parchment and butter lightly.
• Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy.
• Gradually add in sugar, then eggs one at a time.
• Add in the chocolate and almond extract.
• Sift the flour and salt together.
• Gradually add into the batter.
• Fold in pecans and blackberries.
• Spread in the jelly roll pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• When done, turn the cake out and peel off the foil or parchment.
• Cool and spread with the cream cheese icing.
• Cream Cheese Icing: Combine the cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla.
• Beat until smooth and ice cooled cake.

BLUE VELVET, BLACKBERRY CURD, AND BLACKBERRY LEMON CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Place the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until thoroughly mixed. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder together and slowly add to the mixer on low speed. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly, as needed. Add the food colorings in a steady stream until desired shade is achieved; it should appear bluish-purple. Beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl one last time and mix for 30 seconds by hand.
• Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter and bake until they form a semi-hard crust on top, about 25 minutes. Immediately remove the cupcakes from their pan and place on a cooling rack.
• For the blackberry curd filling: Bring the blackberries and water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Turn down the heat to low and simmer until the blackberries are soft and separate easily, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a sieve and pass through using a spoon to help mash the blackberries. Discard the pulp and reserve the juice. Place the flour and sugar in a clean saucepan and slowly pour in the blackberry juice, reserving 2 tablespoons. Whisk constantly. When thoroughly combined, add the whole eggs and egg yolks, whisking and cooking until the mixture thickens. When the curd has formed, after about 7 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator until fully chilled.
• For the cream cheese frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until pale and creamy. Add the blackberry juice and lemon zest and continue to beat until the color is even. (The lemon zest has a tendency to adhere to the beater blade. When removing from the mixer bowl, be sure to scrape this off and blend back into the frosting by hand.) Reduce the speed to low and slowly begin adding the confectioners' sugar. Keep adding until the frosting has a medium-stiff consistency. You may not require the full 5 cups sugar. Beat on high speed for a further 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• To assemble: Remove the center of each cupcake using an apple corer. Fill the cavity with the blackberry curd until it is level with the top of the cake. Pipe the frosting on top using a plain pastry tip. Crumble one of the cakes into small pieces and scatter a few crumbles on top of each cake so that it adheres to the frosting. Garnish with a whole fresh blackberry, if desired.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Beat the softened butter to a soft and even consistency. Add the orange juice, if using, then the icing sugar. Cream until you have a smooth, soft buttercream consistency.
• Add the cream cheese and work it in - don't beat it in, just slowly mix with a wooden spoon. Depending on how soft the mixture is, you may want to put it in the fridge for 10 mins at this point. If it's runny, it will firm up again. It should be spreadable and not run off the cake.

PURPLE VELVET CUPCAKES WITH BLACKBERRY FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Roughly crush half the blackberries with a fork so the juice is running but there are still some chunky bits. Gently melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Put the kettle on.
• Scrape the butter-chocolate mixture and eggs into the dry ingredients with the crushed blackberries and 100ml boiling water. Mix together until smooth, then add a little food colouring to boost the red/purple hue. Divide between the muffin cases and bake for 15 mins until risen and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Lift from the tin onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Whizz the remaining 150g blackberries to a purée. Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla together until really pale and fluffy - about 5 mins. Sieve the remaining blackberry purée and gently fold into the icing. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with your favourite nozzle and pipe a generous amount onto each cupcake - removing the paper case first if you want to show the colour of the sponge. Top each with a fresh blackberry and enjoy.