Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Strikes a perfect balance between rich chocolate and tangy blackberries
- Elegant, show-stopping appearance with dramatic color and texture contrasts
- Swiss meringue buttercream yields a silky, smooth finish that isn’t overly sweet
- Customizable with optional food coloring and garnishes to enhance the gothic theme
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
Cake
- Cocoa powder
- Boiling water
- Black gel food coloring (optional)
- Butter
- Light brown soft sugar
- Caster sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Baking powder
- Eggs
Chocolate Bark
- Dark chocolate
- White chocolate
- Purple powdered food coloring (optional)
Blackberry Puree
- Blackberries
- Sugar
Blackberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Egg whites
- Caster sugar
- Butter
- Blackberry puree
- Vanilla extract
- Purple gel/powdered food coloring (optional)
Blackberry Ganache
- Dark chocolate
- Blackberry puree
- Full-fat milk
- Butter
- Black gel food coloring (optional)
To Assemble
- Blackberry jam
- Black fondant (for roses)
- Silver lustre dust
- Black and purple sprinkles
Directions
- Make the cake layers: Preheat oven to 180 °C / 350 °F. Grease & line 3×15 cm (or 2×20 cm) pans. Mix cocoa with boiling water and food coloring. Add butter, sugars, flour, baking powder, and beaten eggs. Beat until smooth. Divide between pans and bake 25 min or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 min, then on racks.
- Chocolate bark: Melt dark and white chocolates separately over simmering water. Tint white chocolate purple. Spread dark chocolate on parchment, drizzle white, swirl, refrigerate until set but pliable, then cut shards. Chill until firm.
- Blackberry puree: Simmer blackberries and sugar until mushy. Blend and strain. Chill.
- Swiss meringue buttercream: Heat egg whites and sugar over simmering water to 60 °C (140 °F). Whisk to stiff peaks. Lower speed and add butter gradually until smooth. Add blackberry puree, re-emulsify if split, then vanilla and optional coloring.
- Assemble cake: Level layers. On a platter, place layer, spread a thin buttercream layer. Pipe a ring dam, fill with blackberry jam. Repeat stacking and filling. Crumb-coat and chill 15 min. Apply final thick coat of buttercream and smooth. Chill while preparing ganache.
- Blackberry ganache: Heat blackberry puree with milk to boiling, pour over chopped chocolate, stir until smooth, add butter, color if desired. Adjust consistency with milk.
- Finish the cake: Pour ganache over the cake, letting it drip down edges. Arrange chocolate shards and fondant roses, pipe buttercream blobs, and dust with lustre and sprinkles.
Servings and Timing
- Servings: 12 people
- Prep time: 1 hour
- Bake time: 25 minutes
- Total time: Around 1 hour 25 minutes
Variations
- Flavors: Use raspberries or blackcurrants instead of blackberries for different fruity notes.
- Lighter frosting: Swap the Swiss meringue buttercream for stabilized whipped cream for a lighter finish.
- Decoration twist: Replace fondant roses with fresh edible flowers or blackberries.
Storage/Reheating
- Storage: Keep cake refrigerated (covered) for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: Freeze individual slices in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Serve cold or let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. If slightly chilly, microwave slices in 5-second bursts until just warm.
FAQs
1. Can I use a different cake pan instead of round tins?
Yes — you can bake this in a Bundt cake pan or loaf pan, but adjust baking time accordingly (likely longer for deeper pans).
2. What’s the difference between caster sugar and regular granulated?
Caster sugar is finer and dissolves more easily, which helps create a smoother crumb and meringue. You can pulse regular sugar in a blender if needed.
3. How do I know when the buttercream is properly emulsified?
It should be smooth, silky, and cool to the touch. If it splits, use the microwave trick (heat a spoonful, then whisk back in) to bring it back together.
4. Can I skip the food coloring?
Absolutely — the cake will still be delicious. The food coloring enhances the “elegantly gothic” theme.
5. Can I make the cake in advance?
Yes — you can bake layers and make the puree and bark 1–2 days ahead. Assemble 1 day before serving for best structure.
6. Is Swiss meringue buttercream gluten-free?
Yes, this frosting is naturally gluten-free. Just ensure your other ingredients (jam, decorations) are gluten-free if necessary.
7. What if I don’t have a thermometer for meringue?
Whisk until the mixture feels smooth and no sugar granules can be felt between your fingers (about 60 °C / 140 °F).
8. My ganache seems too thick. What should I do?
Warm it gently and whisk in small amounts of milk until it becomes pourable.
9. Can I use freeze-dried blackberries for the puree?
Yes — rehydrate freeze-dried berries with hot water, then proceed as usual, though flavor may be less intense.
10. How do I transport this cake?
Chill thoroughly and transport in a sturdy, level cake box. Place it on a non-slip mat to prevent sliding.
Conclusion
This Chocolate Blackberry Elegantly Gothic Halloween Cake brings dramatic flair and sophisticated flavor to any gathering. With its rich layers, silky buttercream, and dramatic decoration, it’s guaranteed to dazzle—and delight—every guest.
Chocolate Blackberry Elegantly Gothic Halloween Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A luxurious and dramatic Halloween cake combining rich chocolate and blackberry layers with Swiss meringue buttercream, blackberry ganache, and gothic decorations for a show-stopping dessert.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup boiling water
Black gel food coloring (optional)
200g butter
100g light brown soft sugar
100g caster sugar
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
150g dark chocolate
50g white chocolate
Purple powdered food coloring (optional)
200g blackberries
2 tbsp sugar (for puree)
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar (for buttercream)
250g butter (for buttercream)
100g blackberry puree (for buttercream)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Purple gel or powdered food coloring (optional)
100g dark chocolate (for ganache)
100g blackberry puree (for ganache)
2 tbsp full-fat milk
1 tbsp butter (for ganache)
Black gel food coloring (optional)
Blackberry jam
Black fondant (for roses)
Silver lustre dust
Black and purple sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F), grease and line 3×15cm or 2×20cm cake pans.
- Mix cocoa with boiling water and optional black food coloring. Let cool.
- Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add cocoa mixture, then eggs, then sifted flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth.
- Divide batter between pans and bake for 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
- For chocolate bark, melt dark and white chocolates separately. Color white chocolate purple if using. Spread dark chocolate on parchment, drizzle white on top, swirl, chill until set, cut into shards and refrigerate.
- For blackberry puree, simmer blackberries with sugar until soft. Blend, strain, and chill.
- To make Swiss meringue buttercream, heat egg whites and caster sugar over a double boiler to 60°C. Whip to stiff peaks. Add butter gradually, then blackberry puree, vanilla, and optional coloring.
- Level cakes. On a serving platter, add first layer, pipe buttercream ring, fill center with jam. Repeat for other layers.
- Crumb coat the cake and chill for 15 minutes. Apply final coat of buttercream and smooth. Chill while making ganache.
- To make ganache, heat puree and milk until hot. Pour over chopped dark chocolate, stir until smooth. Add butter and optional coloring. Adjust thickness with milk.
- Pour ganache over the cake allowing drips to form. Decorate with chocolate shards, fondant roses, piped buttercream, lustre dust, and sprinkles.
Notes
Use raspberries or blackcurrants for a different fruity profile.
Add a tablespoon of brandy or Chambord to the puree for an adult twist.
Can substitute Swiss meringue buttercream with stabilized whipped cream.
Make layers and decorations 1–2 days in advance.
Swiss meringue buttercream is naturally gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
