Berries ’n’ cream chocolate cake

Berries ’n’ Cream Chocolate Cake

ACTIVE TIME: 1 hr. TOTAL TIME: 31⁄2 hrs. SERVES: 12

11⁄4 cups all-purpose flour 3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup butter, at room temp.

3⁄4 cup granulated sugar

3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese,

at room temp.

1 cup confectioners’ sugar 13⁄4 cups heavy cream

11⁄4 cups mixed berries Edible flowers (optional)

1 Heat oven to 325°F. Coat 3 (8") cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with round of parchment paper; coat with spray.

2 In bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. On medium speed, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, 2 min. On low speed, beat in eggs one at a time, then 2 tsp. vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk until smooth. Divide among pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 20–25 min. Let cool 15 min. Transfer from pans to rack; let cool.

3 On medium speed, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth; beat in remaining vanilla. On low speed, gradually beat in cream until blended; on medium speed, beat until fluffy. Reserve 1 cup frosting; transfer remaining to pastry bag fitted with 1⁄2" plain tip. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; pipe on half of frosting. Repeat layering. Top with remaining cake layer. Transfer reserved frosting to pastry bag; pipe in ring around cake top. Fill center with berries. Garnish with flowers.

Easy from-scratch cake, whipped cream cheese frosting and juicy fresh berries stack up to

one irresistible delight