» » BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE + BLACKBERRY MASCARPONE FILLING

It's possible to trade profitably on the Forex, the nearly $2 trillion worldwide currency exchange market. But the odds are against you, even more so if you don't prepare and plan your trades. According to a 2014 Bloomberg report, several analyses of retail Forex trading, including one by the National Futures Association (NFA), the industry's regulatory body, concluded that more than two out of three Forex traders lose money. This suggests that self-education and caution are recommended. Here are some approaches that may improve your odds of taking a profit. Prepare Before You Begin Trading Because the Forex market is highly leveraged -- as much as 50 to 1 -- it can have the same appeal as buying a lottery ticket: some small chance of making a killing. This, however, isn't trading; it's gambling, with the odds long against you. A better way of entering the Forex market is to carefully prepare. Beginning with a practice account is helpful and risk-free. While you're trading in your practice account, read the most frequently recommended Forex trading books, among them Currency Forecasting: A Guide to Fundamental and Technical Models of Exchange Rate Determination, by Michael R. Rosenberg is short, not too sweet and highly admired introduction to the Forex market. Forex Strategies: Best Forex Strategies for High Profits and Reduced Risk, by Matthew Maybury is an excellent introduction to Forex trading. The Little Book of Currency Trading: How to Make Big Profits in the World of Forex, by Kathy Lien is another concise introduction that has stood the test of time. All three are available on Amazon. Rosenberg's book, unfortunately, is pricey, but it's widely available in public libraries. "Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude," by Mark Douglas is another good book that's available on Amazon, and, again, somewhat pricey, although the Kindle edition is not. Use the information gained from your reading to plan your trades before plunging in. The more you change your plan, the more you end up in trouble and the less likely that elusive forex profit will end up in your pocket. Diversify and Limit Your Risks Two strategies that belong in every trader's arsenal are: Diversification: Traders who execute many small traders, particularly in different markets where the correlation between markets is low, have a better chance of making a profit. Putting all your money in one big trade is always a bad idea. Familiarize yourself with ways guaranteeing a profit on an already profitable order, such as a trailing stop, and of limiting losses using stop and limit orders. These strategies and more are covered in the recommended books. Novice traders often make the mistake of concentrating on how to win; it's even more important to understand how to limit your losses. Be Patient Forex traders, particularly beginners, are prone to getting nervous if a trade does not go their way immediately, or if the trade goes into a little profit they get itchy to pull the plug and walk away with a small profit that could have been a significant profit with little downside risk using appropriate risk reduction strategies. In "On Any Given Sunday," Al Pacino reminds us that "football is a game of inches." That's a winning attitude in the Forex market as well. Remember that you are going to win some trades and lose others. Take satisfaction in the accumulation of a few more wins than losses. Over time, that could make you rich!

BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE + BLACKBERRY MASCARPONE FILLING



BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE + BLACKBERRY MASCARPONE FILLING

Blackberry Chocolate Cake: three layers of dark chocolate cake, filled with blackberry mascarpone cream and frosted with a fudgy blackberry chocolate buttercream.

It’s hard to believe, but today Flour Covered Apron officially turns one year old! When I started this blog a year ago, I wasn’t sure where exactly it would take me. I just knew that I a) needed a creative outlet for my rediscovered addiction to baking, and b) wanted to connect with a larger community of passionate bakers!


I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge there have been a lot of ups and downs with my blog. It’s quite literally been the product of my blood, sweat, and tears over the past year, and while I’ve often felt proud & excited, there’ve also been many days where I’ve just felt like quitting. But looking back, it’s been an incredibly rewarding journey and I’ve learned much more than I ever expected to!

It wasn’t all that long ago that I could never imagine myself being a food blogger (or any sort of entrepreneur, photographer, recipe developer, web designer, or writer for that matter). Starting Flour Covered Apron has pushed me out of my comfort zone in a million ways and I’ve been as surprised as anyone to find myself here.


Drive, and inspiration, and a passion for baking have certainly been instrumental in keeping me going, but most of all, it’s the community I’ve gotten to connect with along the way. You all encourage, challenge, and inspire me every single day. Whether you’re a fellow baker, blogger, photographer, foodie, or just a friend… thank you for tagging along! You are simply the best!


So, to celebrate today’s anniversary, I made this blackberry chocolate cake. It’s very much inspired by a similar recipe from Fork Knife Swoon, but I made a few adaptations, including adding in a blackberry mascarpone filling.

The chocolate cake is made with my favorite dark chocolate batter, which comes out of the oven rich, moist, and chocolatey! The key is pouring hot coffee into the batter at the end. It makes all the difference in bringing out the chocolate flavor, without making the cake actually taste like coffee.


While the cakes cool, you’ll want to simmer some blackberries on the stove, along with a little bit of sugar. The syrup from the blackberry compote will be drizzled into the chocolate buttercream, while the mashed blackberries will be swirled into the mascarpone filling. For some extra texture and flavor, I did add a little bit of the mashed blackberries to the buttercream, too (optional).

And the final finishing touch? A pile of fresh blackberries on top! Simple, rustic, and naturally gorgeous.


Make sure to keep this blackberry chocolate cake refrigerated, since the filling is made up of mascarpone cheese. I recommend removing the cake from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before serving.

Please note that this page contains affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools and brands I know, use, and trust. Thank you for helping to support my blog!

Blackberry Chocolate Cake + Blackberry Mascarpone Filling
Three layers of dark chocolate cake, filled with blackberry mascarpone cream and frosted with a fudgy blackberry chocolate buttercream.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blackberries, buttercream, cake, chocolate, dark chocolate, mascarpone
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 1 eight-inch cake

Ingredients
  • Dark Chocolate Cake
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/3 cup buttermilk*
  • 1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup very hot coffee

Blackberry Puree
  • 12 ounces blackberries
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Blackberry Chocolate Buttercream
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 1/2 - 4 cups powdered sugar**
  • 7-8 tablespoons blackberry syrup, reserved from blackberry compote (above)
Blackberry Mascarpone Cream
  • 8 ounces mascarpone, softened
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 6 tablespoons mashed blackberries, reserved from blackberry compote (above)
For Assembly
  • 6 ounces blackberries
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Instructions
  1. Dark Chocolate Cake
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare three 8" cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Then, butter and flour the pans.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Add the eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Then, pour in the hot coffee and whisk just until combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 30-34 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached). Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then turn each cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Blackberry Compote
  1. Add the blackberries and sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir together and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the juices are released and the mixture is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. You can use a wooden spoon or spatula to help break down the berries as they cook.
  2. Remove the pan from heat and press the compote through a fine mesh sieve, separating the berry syrup from the mashed blackberries. Reserve both and let cool completely.
Blackberry Chocolate Buttercream
  1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
  2. Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually add the cocoa powder, then the powdered sugar, mixing until combined. Finally, add the blackberry syrup a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.*** Beat until smooth.
Blackberry Mascarpone Cream
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the softened mascarpone, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.
  2. Carefully fold in the mashed blackberries. For a swirled pattern, do not incorporate completely.
Assembling the Cake
  1. Once the cakes are completely cool, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to level each cake. Using a small amount of buttercream, secure the first layer to a cardboard cake board.
  2. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large, round pastry tip with the blackberry chocolate buttercream. Pipe a dam of buttercream all the way around the edge of the first layer of cake, then fill the center with blackberry mascarpone cream. Repeat with the second layer.
  3. Finally, place the third layer on top, cut side down. Frost the top and sides of the cake as desired with the remaining buttercream, then garnish with fresh blackberries. Store finished cake in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was adapted from Fork Knife Swoon.
*You can also substitute a scant 1 1/3 cup whole milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
**For a sweeter filling, you may add more powdered sugar.
***If desired, you may also add a couple tablespoons of the mashed blackberries.


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