Chocolate Omnomberry Cake

Ingredients

• ⅔ Cup Butter
• 1⅓ Cups Caster Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
• 1 Cup Milk
• ¾ Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1½ Cups Plain Flour
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Baking/Bicarbonate Soda
• 8 Blueberries

Omnomberry Frosting

• ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
• 2 Powdered Sugar
• ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Raspberry Juice
• 2 Tablespoons Maraschino Cherry Juice

Chocolate Frosting

• ⅔ Cup Unsalted Butter
• 3½ Cups Powdered Sugar
• ⅔ Cup High Quality Cocoa Powder
• 4 Tablespoons Milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and line three 8-inch round sandwich tins and set aside. Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Once pale and combined, add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Stir in the vanilla extract. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the butter mixture. Pour over the milk and gently fold until the cake batter is formed.

Distribute the batter evenly between two of the tins, then only half fill the third tin with the batter. The third tin will create the flatter, middle layer of the final cake. Bake the cake layers in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes. They're ready when firm and springy, and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Once baked, remove the layers from the oven and allow them to cool before removing from their tins and setting aside to cool completely.

Omnomberry Frosting

Beat the butter until pale and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat. Finally add the vanilla extract and Kirsch/maraschino cherry juice and mix well. If the frosting is too thick, slowly add more liquid. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar until it's smooth and spreadable.

Chocolate Frosting

Beat the butter until pale and creamy. Gradually and alternately add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add the milk alternately to thin out the frosting until it's smooth and easy to spread.

Cake Assembly

Even out the cake layers, removing any lumps and bumps on top so that they may be stacked. Take the thinner chocolate layer, and using a pastry brush gently brush some maraschino cherry juice over it evenly. Starting with one of the thicker layers, spread a generous amount of Omnomberry frosting over it, then stack with the thinner cherry soaked layer. Cover the thin middle layer with the Omnomberry frosting, then top with the final thicker cake layer. Take the chocolate frosting and begin coating the cake in a rough, thin layer of frosting around the sides and top. Put the cake into the fridge for an hour to chill. Once chilled, remove the cake and begin to neatly frost it. Smoothing out any edges and keeping it even all around. Return the cake to the fridge.