Chocolate Cake with Mixed Berry Filling and Flake Salt

In celebration of our 15th anniversary, we made a decadent chocolate cake sprinkled with the bright, briny, and crunchy salt that started it all — Flake! This cake was inspired by Chef Siobhan Speirit's (of Portland-based Cafe Olli) beloved recipe, and we added a mixed berry filling made with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries sourced from Groundwork Organics as an homage to locally sourced, peak summer produce.  

Recipe adapted from: Chef Siobhan Speirit, Cafe Olli
Photos by: The JSC Kitchen 

Makes 1 8-Inch Cake

Process

Make the Chocolate Cake

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans that are at least 2 inches tall. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 285g hot water. Whisk on low speed until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed until the batter is smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Divide the batter equally between the two cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Make the Fudge Frosting

In a mixing bowl, sift powdered sugar. Set aside. In a bowl set over a double boiler, melt dark and milk chocolate. Keep warm. In a saucepan over low flame, heat heavy cream until just warm. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix on speed two until butter and cocoa powder are well combined. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar. Scrape the bowl often to avoid clumps. Mix on low speed until mixture is well combined. Add melted chocolates and mix to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Slowly incorporate heavy cream on low speed, adding it in batches until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

Make the Mixed Berry Filling

Add the berries to a pot over medium-low heat and let simmer until the berries start to soften and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add honey. Continue to simmer until all the berries have softened and the liquid has thickened, making sure to stir often so the sugar doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. This can take up to 30 minutes. Once it reaches the desired jam-like consistency, take the pot off of the heat, stir in lemon juice, and set aside to let it cool completely. 

To Assemble