Craving something decadent, but also something summery? This Blueberry Chocolate Cake is the answer, and you're going to loooove it!
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This Blueberry Chocolate Cake is a decadent dark chocolate cake topped with blueberry buttercream! This one-layer cake is simple, delicious, and you can't beat the color of that blueberry frosting!
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Chocolate Ganache Cake, Blueberry Shortcake, and Blueberry Angel Food Cake!
Ingredients
This recipe has a fairly long list of ingredients for such a simple cake, but I added each for a reason! Read on below for why each ingredient is included. Measurements for each ingredient are listed in the recipe card, below.
Dark Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Dark Chocolate - For flavor and richness. You can use another kind of chocolate if you prefer, but dark chocolate is rich and decadent without being overly sweet. I used 60% cacao. Using quality chocolate is important for this recipe!
- Dark (Dutch Process) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - For deep chocolate flavor! *Not* the same as natural cocoa powder, dark (or dutch process) powder is darker and smoother.
- Freshly Brewed Coffee - To enhance the flavor of the chocolate. The cake won't taste like coffee, I swear! If you would prefer not to use coffee, you can use hot water instead.
- Flour - Provides structure and moisture for the cake. I used all-purpose flour.
- Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the cake soft and moist.
- Baking Soda - Provides leavening for the cake.
- Salt - Helps to balance and enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Vegetable Oil - Provides even more moisture to the cake than butter would, and easier to incorporate in the batter!
- Eggs - To provide structure, additional leavening, and a little richness. I used large eggs.
- White Vinegar - For leavening. You won't taste the vinegar! It reacts with the baking soda (think second grade volcano science project), which gives your cake a lighter, fluffier texture. If you don't have white vinegar, consider taste in what you substitute. Apple cider vinegar would be a good fit, but your aged balsamic would lend a strange flavor.
- Vanilla Extract - For flavor.
- Chocolate Extract - For flavor. It lends an amazing depth of flavor to chocolate baked goods. You can even make yourself some Homemade Chocolate Extract for next time! If you prefer to leave it out, you can just use an equal measure of vanilla extract in its place.
Blueberry Buttercream Ingredients
- Blueberries - For flavor and gorgeous color.
- Sugar - To help pull the juices from the berries. The sugar also adds sweetness, of course.
- Lemon Juice - For flavor, and to balance the sweetness and bitterness from the blueberries. If you'd like more lemon flavor, you can also add the zest.
- Unsalted Butter - For smooth richness. Unsalted butter so that your buttercream doesn't taste salty. You want your butter to be at room temperature before you start.
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetness, and because it dissolves completely, giving your frosting a smooth, creamy texture. I sift my powdered sugar so that the buttercream doesn't have any lumps.
Instructions
Here I'll show you how to make this beautiful cake, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.
Making the Chocolate Cake
Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour hot coffee over top and whisk until smooth. Chill 10 minutes.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
After chilling, add oil, eggs, vinegar, and extracts to the chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth.
Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour into pan, bake, then cool.
Making the Blueberry Buttercream
Combine blueberries, sugar, & lemon juice. Cook until berries break down, strain, then reduce juice by half. Cool.
Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add powdered sugar and mix to combine.
Once blueberry reduction is completely cooled, gradually add to buttercream and mix to combine.
Substitutions
Here are a few handy substitutions:
- Instead of Coffee - If you prefer not to use coffee, or just don't have any on-hand, you can use hot water instead.
- Instead of Chocolate Extract - I highly recommend this (often overlooked) extract! That said, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract if you prefer.
Equipment
Here are a few things that I used to make whipping up this cake easier:
- 8" Cake Pan - I used a square pan for this recipe, but an 8" round cake pan will also work (and the cake will bake up in the same amount of time).
- Fine Mesh Strainer - This tool makes it easy to separate the blueberry juice from the skins/seeds!
- Offset Spatula - Not a necessity, but very handy to spread the blueberry frosting while keeping your fingers out of the way!
Storage
You can store your Blueberry Chocolate Cake covered on your counter for up to two days, or covered in your refrigerator for up to five days.
You can also make the cake in advance and, completely cooled and wrapped well, it can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Just thaw, then add the buttercream.
FAQ
You can use another kind of chocolate if you prefer, but dark chocolate is rich and decadent without being overly sweet, and is a fantastic complement to the sweet blueberry buttercream. I highly suggest using dark (60%+ cacao) chocolate, but using quality chocolate is the most important part!
Of course! This recipe will bake up in the same amount of time in an 8" round cake pan.
If you're going to use a 9" round pan, the cake will be a little shorter, and you will need to reduce the bake time (by likely 3-5 minutes, but I haven't tried this, so it's only an estimate).
Yes! Simply double the recipe, and you can have a blueberry chocolate layer cake! When baking two layers at the same time, it's possible that the cakes will take an additional minute or two to bake through.
Other Recipes You May Like
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Blueberry Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Cake
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used 60% cacao)
- ⅓ cup dark (dutch process) unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)
- ¾ cups freshly brewed coffee, hot (see note)
- ¾ cups flour (I used all-purpose flour)
- ¾ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, at room temperature (I used large eggs)
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar (see note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon chocolate extract (see note)
Blueberry Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (about 9 oz.)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
For Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8" cake pan and set aside.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour hot coffee (see note) over the top and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate chocolate mixture for 10 minutes (so the mixture doesn't cook your eggs).
- While the chocolate mixture is chilling, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
- After chilling (mixture will still be warm, but not hot), remove chocolate mixture from the refrigerator. Add oil, eggs, vinegar (see note), vanilla extract, and chocolate extract (see note), whisking until smooth.
- Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 30-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached. I turn the pan around in the oven halfway through baking to help ensure an even bake.
- Cool cake 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For Buttercream
- Combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries break down and give off their juice, about 5 minutes.
- Strain the blueberries through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the skins/seeds. Pour the blueberry juice back into the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 5-10 minutes. (I started off with 1 cup of blueberry juice, and reduced it to ½ cup). Make sure to stir it often as it cooks so that it doesn't stick to the pan or scorch as it thickens. Allow the blueberry reduction to cool to room temperature.
- Cream butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth. Gradually add the blueberry reduction (should be about ½ cup) and mix to incorporate.
- Once the cake is completely cool, frost with the buttercream and decorate as desired.
- You can store your Blueberry Chocolate Cake covered on your counter for up to two days, or covered in your refrigerator for up to five days.Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
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