Blackberry Daiquiri Cake

This is an incredibly moist lime cake with a blackberry and rum filling and topped with a buttercream rum icing, plus lots of fresh blackberries.

This can be made as a 2-layer cake, 3-layer cake, or as cupcakes. For a lighter touch with cupcakes, top each cupcake with a dab of whipped cream and a blackberry instead of icing. For an example, please see Diabetic Friendly Blackberry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream and Lime Zest.

The Inside Scoop

Measuring: When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of sugar is 192 grams. By volume, this measure may be less than 1 cup. A food scale makes it easy to measure ingredients accurately. However, it you do not have a food scale, sift the flour 3 times, then spoon the flour lightly into the measuring cup and use a knife to level off.

Use Parchment Paper! If you have ever removed a cake layer from a cake pan, and had a chunk of cake in the middle of the bottom stick to the cake pan, you know how annoying this is. To prevent this, line the bottom of two or three 9″ round cake pans (for a 2 or 3 layer cake) with parchment paper. To do this, place the cake pans on parchment paper. Use a marker to trace around the outside of the pans to form circles. Cut out the circles by cutting away the paper with the marker ink. (Dispose of the paper with the marker ink on it.) If necessary, trim the paper to fit inside the pan. Spray the cake pans with a non-stick cooking spray. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of the pans.

Eggs: Be sure eggs are at room temperature. Warm eggs hold more air than cold eggs, which means a lighter cake, and whisk more completely. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature before cracking, place eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.

Food Scales Make It Easy: Distribute the batter evenly between the 2 or 3 cake pans. This is easiest to do if you use a food scale to measure the amount of batter in each pan. For a 2-layer cake, there will be approximately 31 1/2 ounces of batter in both pans. For a 3-layer cake, there will be approximately 21 ounces of batter in each pan.

Cake Pan Strips: By the way, if you have cake pan strips, chill your cake pan strips in ice water, then wrap around the cake pans. This will prevent the cake layers from baking too quickly around the edge and browning excessively. This also helps to reduce doming, as this prevents the edge from setting before the middle of the cake. (And yes, I forgot to do this with the two-layer cake.)

Testing For Doneness: I use a metal cake tester (actually, a metal kabob skewer) to test for doneness. Metal cake testers are more accurate than toothpicks.

To cool completely, remove each cake layer, with its attached parchment paper, from the cake pans and place the layers on cooling racks. The parchment paper will prevent the cooling racks from cutting into the cake layers and prevent the cake layers from sticking to the cooling racks.

Filling: Seedless or seeded blackberry jam can be used, but seedless jam will give a smoother finish. Once rum is added to the jam, the jam will be runny. To use as filling, the jam needs to be reduced slightly to thicken it and keep it from becoming too runny. The jam and rum needs to be placed in a small saucepan and heated slowly over a medium-low heat. Once the jam comes to a slight bubble around the edge, reduce the heat to low and let simmer, without boiling, for about 15-20 minutes, until the jam has been reduced by at least 2-3 tablespoons. It is important to reduce the jam on a very low heat to prevent the jam from developing a burned taste.

Spread the jam on each layer, stopping 1/2″ from the edge of the layer and then refrigerate until the filling sets. This is important to prevent the jam from leaking out when it is topped with the next cake layer.

Assembly: If the cake layers have domed, it is essential to level the layers. If layers are not level, they may slide and crack as layers are stacked. To level the cake layers, use a cake leveler or a long knife to slice off the domes. I recommend using a cake leveler, available at most craft stores and baking supplies stores, as this will guarantee that each level is the same size.

If you do not have piping bags and tips, drop small dollops of icing, spaced evenly, around the bottom of the cake and in the middle on top, then press the blackberries into these dollops. This will keep blackberries from sliding and falling off.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Blackberry Daiquiri Cake

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Connie Teunis – Serves: 12-16

This is an incredibly moist lime cake with a blackberry and rum filling and topped with a buttercream rum icing, plus lots of fresh blackberries.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 392 g./ 3 ½ c. Cake Flour
• 480 g./ 2 ½ c. Granulated Sugar
• 12 g./ 4 T. Lime Zest (about 8 Limes)
• 1 t. Salt
• 1 T. Baking Powder
• 4 Large Eggs, room temperature
• 2 c. Canola Oil, or other unflavored oil
• ½ c. Milk (2% or Whole)
• ½ c. Fresh Lime Juice
• 2 t. Lime Extract
• 1 ½ t. Rum Extract
• Filling:
• 1- 1½ c. Seedless Blackberry Jam
• 2– 3 T. Rum (White or Dark)
• Frosting:
• 1 Stick Butter, softened
• 96 g./ ½ c. Vegetable Shortening
• 480 g./ 4 c. Powdered Sugar
• 2 T. White Rum
• 12 oz. Fresh Blackberries

Instructions

1

To Make the Cake:

2

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut out circles of parchment paper to fit the bottom of 2 or 3 cake pans. Spray 2-3 cake pans with non-stick cooking spray; line the bottom of the cake pans with the circles of parchment paper.

3

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, lime zest, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

4

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the oil, milk, lime juice, lime extract, and rum extract; beat until completely mixed (oil-egg mixture will emulsify). By hand, or on the slowest speed of the stand mixer, stir in the dry ingredients until there is no dry flour. Increase the mixing speed to medium; beat for 2 minutes.

5

For a 3-layer cake, pour approximately 21 ounces of batter into each pan. For a 2-layer cake, pour approximately 31 ounces of batter into each cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes for a 3-layer cake, 55 minutes for a 2-layer cake, or until a metal cake tester, when inserted into the middle of the cake, comes out clean.

6

When done, remove the cake pans from the oven and place on cooling racks; cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, run the flat side of a knife around the edge of the cake pans to loosen the cake layers from the pans. Place the cake layers, with the parchment paper attached, onto the cooling racks; cool completely.

7

To Make the Filling:

8

Place 1 cup (for 2 layers) or 1 ½ cups (for 3 layers) of blackberry jam into a small saucepan; warm over low heat until jam softens and can be stirred smoothly. Add 2 T. (for 2 layers) or 3 T. (for 3 Layers) of rum to the jam. Increase heat to medium low until jam just begins to bubble around the edge of the saucepan; reduce heat and let simmer until jam has reduced by 2-3 tablespoons (about 15-20 minutes). Cool to room temperature.

9

To Make the Frosting:

10

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and shortening. Add the powdered sugar; stir in by hand or on the lowest speed of the stand mixer; then increase the mixer speed to medium until the frosting becomes smooth. Add the rum; beat until frosting is of spreadable consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

11

To Assemble the Cake:

12

Use a cake leveler to level the layers if the cake has domed. (Although the larger 2-layers tend to bake level, the smaller 3-layers tend to dome slightly.) Level cake layers are essential to prevent layers from slipping or cracking.

13

Place one cake layer, top side down, on a cake plate; remove the parchment paper. Spread ½ c. of jam over the cake layer, stopping ½” from the edge of the cake. Refrigerate until jam is firm.

14

For a 3-layer cake, repeat: Place the second cake layer, top side down, onto the bottom layer. Remove the parchment paper and spread ½ c. of jam over the cake layer, stopping ½” from the edge of the cake; refrigerate until the jam is firm.

15

For the final cake layer, remove the parchment paper and place top-side-up on the cake.

16

If desired, spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake to lock in any crumbs. (This is called a crumb layer of frosting.) Let frosting set a few minutes to become firm. Then spread frosting evenly over the cake, reserving about 1 cup of the frosting for piping.

17

Warm the remaining jam slightly, then spoon or pipe (using a #12 tip) the jam along the upper edge of the cake, allowing the jam to run down the side of the cake. Remove any jam that pools on the cake plate. (Piped frosting will not stick to the jam.)

18

Pipe a scallop edge around the bottom of the cake, using either a 21, 32, or 6B piping tip. Pipe a small circle of frosting in the middle of the top of the cake. Cluster fresh blackberries around the bottom edge, pressing them into the scalloped frosting. Heap fresh blackberries onto the circle of frosting on top of the cake, pressing slightly into the piped frosting, to prevent the blackberries from falling off the cake.

19

Enjoy!

20

To store: Store in the refrigerator. If the cake has been cut, cover loosely with plastic wrap before refrigerating.

21

Note: For a lighter touch; make cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a dollop of whipped cream and a blackberry.