Makes 2 8-inch cakes
For the filling:
1 large basket blueberries
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2- 3 tablespoons sugar or to taste, divided
2 baskets raspberries
1 cup whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
For the cake:
1½ cups sugar
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
3oz butter, melted and cooled
1 cup espresso or strong coffee (HOT) or 1 cup hot water with espresso powder
Place the blueberries in a medium saucepan, along with the juice and zest of lemon. Cook over a medium low heat, just until the berries start to burst. Remove from the heat and add 1 tablespoon of sugar (or more to taste). Allow to cool completely and the then gently fold in one of the baskets of raspberries.
Place the cream in a bowl and add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon sugar. Whip to stiff peaks and chill.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Prepare pans by lightly buttering and lining base with parchment.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, butter and hot coffee.
Add half of the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients and whisk together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. (this can also be done in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment). Beat in the remaining liquids until the batter is smooth.
Pour evenly into the baking pan and bake for approx. 25 to 30 minutes, until it springs back when touched.
Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn it out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
When the cake is completely chilled, place one layer on a serving plate. Spread about three-quarters of the berry mixture on the cake., letting the juices soak into the cake. Use all of the raspberries that were folded in. Top with half of the whipped cream, leaving a border of about 1-inch. The weight of the cake will spread ti further.
Top with the second half of the cake. Put the remaining whipped cream in a piping bag and pipe a border of rosettes. Fill the center of the cake with the remaining blueberries. and decorate with the reserved raspberries.
Adapted from a recipe by Nancy Pitta