Happy Birthday To Me: Blackberry Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Ugh, my photos of this cake are so meh, and this absolutely glorious cake does not deserve such an indignity.  I even made it twice in a week, but was in a rush and also trying to video.  Total fail.  

Every year I make my own birthday dessert (or two), but I was a bit stumped this year.  Nothing was jumping out.  But this delicious blackberry red wine chocolate cake finally caught my eye. 

Funny enough, it was a super simple one-layer red wine chocolate cake that kicked off my birthday dessert tradition many years ago (and that one’s still worth revisiting, a Smitten Kitchen classic).

I realized after the fact that this is kind of a twist on a traditional black forest cake.  And, ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.  You’ve got moist, fluffy dark INCREDIBLY flavorful chocolate cake, sandwiched with a punchy blackberry jam and topped with a light mascarpone frosting. 

One of my favorite things about this recipe—besides how awesome it tastes—is how simple it is.  No fancy techniques.  I simplified the recipe a bit including swapping in a much lighter mascarpone frosting for the buttercream called for…and that simplicity lets the subtle wine flavors and blackberry really shine through. 

On that note, go for a red wine that has fruity notes, ideally along the lines of forest fruits, cherries, plums, blackberries, and the like.  Avoid anything too dry or light.

There was a chocolate glaze/drip that the original recipe included, and I’d have loved to do that.  But I was short on time and in the interest of simplicity, I went with a simpler decoration approach.  It is SO easy and looks great.

It’s also easy because you can make it ahead of time…it actually benefits from some time in the fridge, allowing the frosting and filling to set up nicely.  And the cake is so moist that it doesn’t dry out (I put mine in the cake caddy to protect from the air).

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.  Grease and line two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper.  Make sure you get in the edges/corners of the pan so it doesn’t stick!

In your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Whisk briefly to combine.

Add the eggs, buttermilk, wine, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until all dry ingredients are JUST incorporated, maybe 10-15 seconds.  

Divide evenly among the prepared pans.  Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.

Run a small knife around the edges of each pan, then gently invert onto wire racks. Cakes should come out cleanly. Allow to cool completely.

At this point, the cakes can be frozen until ready to use (up to 1 month). Just wrap each layer individually in a double layer of plastic wrap and then store inside a large ziploc bag.

Making the frosting is super simple.  You can do it right before you frost, or make it ahead of time.  In your stand mixer (or a hand electric mixer with large bowl) add the mascarpone cheese and whipping cream. 

Whip until fluffy with stiff peaks, adding in the almond extract, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt as it mixes. 

Place one layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread the blackberry jam in a thin layer, then carefully spread half of the mascarpone frosting on the cake, going close to the edges. 

Conversely, you can spread the frosting first, then spread the jam on the BOTTOM of the second layer, then flip it over to sandwich.

Place the second layer on top and then spread the remaining frosting on the top of the cake.  

I’d chill the cake at this point, to get everything to set nicely (plus you should refrigerate mascarpone frosting). 

Before serving, to make the pretty jam swirls, take a spoon and gently make divots and swirls in the top of the frosting…no real pattern, just random swirls.  Then add some dollops of extra blackberry jam and gently use the back of a clean spoon to swirl them along the same lines. 

Look at that huge slice of deliciousness!  

I did play around with a version that also included some homemade pineapple curd on top of the blackberry jam…it was amazing (let me recommend to you pineapple-blackberry as a flavor combo), but also not necessary.  This blackberry red wine chocolate cake is perfect as-is! 

Adapted from Love & Olive Oil

Other birthday celebration desserts you’ll love:

• How to Make Pasteis de Nata
• Caramelized White Chocolate & Coffee Tarts
• Russian Burnt Honey Cake
• “Elvis” Banana, Salted Honey, & Peanut Butter Cream Puffs
• Coffee Cardamom Cake With Bulletproof Frosting
• Birthday Vanilla Spice Coke Cake with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting
• Chocolate Stout Cake with Ganache
• Smitten Kitchen’s Whole Lemon Tart

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Blackberry Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Yield: 1 9-inch double layer cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 53 minutes

This amazing blackberry red wine chocolate cake is the perfect super easy (yet seems fancy) dessert option for any occasion. The flavor is unbelievable, and the fluffy mascarpone frosting lets the flavors really shine through. It's basically an accidental twist on a black forest cake, with dark chocolate, blackberry preserves, the subtle notes of wine, and cream. It's also a perfect make-ahead dessert, since it benefits from setting up in the fridge for a bit (to be less messy when cutting it).

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Ingredients

• Note, I'm a huge advocate for measuring by weight
• CAKE
• 218 g (1 3/4 cup) of all-purpose flour
• 375 g of granulated sugar (a scant 2 cups)
• 70 g (3/4 cup) of dutch-processed cocoa powder (or other dark)
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• A sprinkle of cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 240 g (1 cup) of buttermilk
• 240 g (1 cup) of good red wine (seen notes on the type)
• 112 g (1/2 cup) of olive or avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• FILLINGS
• 1/3 cup of blackberry preserves (+ some extra)
• 8 ounces of mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• A few drops of almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. To make the cake:  Preheat your oven to 350ºF.  Grease and line two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper.  Make sure you get in the edges/corners of the pan so it doesn't stick!
2. In your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Whisk briefly to combine.
3. Add the eggs, buttermilk, wine, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until all dry ingredients are JUST incorporated, maybe 10-15 seconds.  Divide evenly among the prepared pans.
4. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
5. Run a small knife around the edges of each pan, then gently invert onto wire racks. Cakes should come out cleanly. Allow to cool completely.
6. At this point, the cakes can be frozen until ready to use (up to 1 month). Just wrap each layer individually in a double layer of plastic wrap and then store inside a large ziploc bag.
7. To prepare the mascarpone frosting:  In your stand mixer (or a hand electric mixer with large bowl) add the mascarpone cheese and whipping cream.  Whip until fluffy with stiff peaks, adding in the almond extract, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt as it mixes. 
8. To assemble the cake:  Place one layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread the blackberry jam in a thin layer, then carefully spread half of the mascarpone frosting on the cake, going close to the edges. 
9. Conversely, you can spread the frosting first, then spread the jam on the BOTTOM of the second layer, then flip it over to sandwich.
10. Place the second layer on top and then spread the remaining frosting on the top of the cake.  
11. I'd chill the cake at this point, to get everything to set nicely (plus you should refrigerate mascarpone frosting).  Before serving, to make the pretty jam swirls, take a spoon and gently make divots and swirls in the top of the frosting...no real pattern, just random swirls.  Then add some dollops of extra blackberry jam and gently use the back of a clean spoon to swirl them along the same lines. 

Notes

1. For the wine, you want a nice fruity red, ideally with notes of dark fruits, red fruits, blackberries and cherries, etc. Don't go for anything too light or dry. The wine does add a really nice subtle flavor to the cake.

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