Happy New Years Eve!! We can handle anything 2021 dishes up – we’ve got cake. 204: Blackberry Mascarpone Fudge Cake

Have you ever seen a recipe and thought DAMN that’s me in cake form! Benjamina from GBBO posted this recipe on Instagram and I stopped in my scrolling tracks. Fudge frosting, blackberry compote, whipped mascarpone filling and rich chocolate cake. Perfection.

I usually try to spread out bakes of a similar nature, and I know I did just do another chocolate cake recently, but eff it. After the year we’ve had, a little instant gratification is just what we need.

I know we can’t go out this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dress up! I broke out a pair of heels – go big and stay home. Even this cake got dressed up: luscious spiced filling sandwiched between two fluffy layers, in a thin fudge overcoat.

There’s an additional coffee element to this cake: not only is there espresso mixed in, but you drizzle Kahlua on each layer after baking them. Coffee squared.

I was hoping to make one big cake for a change, but the recipe called for 6 inch pans which I sadly don’t have. The 4.4” pans came to the rescue yet again! Spontaneous recipe choices require some pivoting.

It’s a glorious mix-it-all-in-one-bowl kinda batter. Melted butter, baby!

These seemed dangerously full…

Yeahh oops! My cake pan overflow-eth.

Compote is such a satisfying word to say! It’s basically a thin jam that packs a flavor punch. This one smelled a bit like mulled wine with cinnamon, orange zest and cardamom.

And I shall call this painting: Deconstructed Deliciousness.

Time to get our fudge on! It’s one of those fun frostings that thickens as it cools, like magic. I always think of it as the more meltable ingredients involved that are solid when cold (hello butter and dark chocolate), the more viscous the frosting will end up being.

Just gotta add the most important ingredient: heat. And the invisible ingredient that’s the hardest to find: patience. I’m usually out of that one.

Mascarpone whipped into a lil cloud. Add in the whipping cream and watch it get even fluffier!

The calm before the storm.

Kahlua perfume.

Snowcapped mountains in 58 degree weather. A New Years miracle!

It looked so pretty I almost wanted to keep it one layer.

Now it’s like a hidden surprise! Shhh, what blackberry?

Double the fun.

Welcome to my strange lil workstation! The only place in the apartment that gets good natural light is riiight in front of the patio door. Improvisation at its best.

Yes I know there’s no rosemary in this cake, but if Benjamina can do it, so can I! Plus I love the little purple flowers.

Looks a tiny bit like the stone heads on Easter Island, not gonna lie.

Happy munching!

Recipe from: https://www.carrotandcrumb.com/blog