Blackberry Sauce

1. Purée washed blackberries and water in a blender and add to a sauce pan over medium low heat.
2. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and strain through a sieve to remove seeds. You should end up with about 1 cup. Set aside.

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Melt the chopped, unsweetened chocolate in the microwave and set aside.
3. Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
4. Add sour cream, butter and blackberry sauce and beat on high for 2 minutes.
5. Add melted chocolate, eggs and vanilla and beat with a hand-held electric mixer on high again until smooth (about 2 minutes).
6. Pour baking pan lined with parchment and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes before attempting to remove and place on a cooling rack. You will also need to allow the cake to cool before topping with ganache. 

Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Add the butter, cream cheese and salt to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smoother. Add in the blackberry sauce and beat again until smooth & creamy. 

Chocolate Blackberry Ganache

1. It’s best to make the ganache once the cake is cooled so it doesn’t start to set before the cake is cooled. 
2. Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Warm the blackberry sauce and milk together in the microwave until very warm to the touch, almost scalding. This should only take about 1 1/2 minutes. 
3. Pour blackberry milk mixture over chocolate immediately and allow to stand for 2 minutes. Then whisk until smooth.

Assembly

1. Make sure cake is cooled before adding the ganache. 
2. Cover the cake evenly with a layer of ganache and place in the fridge to set the ganache for about 10 minutes. 
3. Apply frosting using an off set spatula. Start with a large blob in the middle and gently work your way around the cake. Top with fresh blackberries and mint if desired.