Friends of the Forest Chocolate Cake

In case you have been wondering where I have been for the last week, I have been visiting family and friends up in NY before we move across the country. I did get a couple of recipes while I have been up here. Yes, we are still on vacation but I will be returning home tomorrow and that is when the moving chaos will begin.

Another reason why we are up in NY is because last week my father turned 55! So of course I had to make a cake and use my new cake decorating skills. Now I am sure that you are scratching your head wondering "Kristin, what did you put on your father's cake?" Well... long story short my dad got me into playing World of Warcraft with him so that he and I stayed connected with each other, since he is not a fan of talking on the phone. In the game we have a guild and our characters wear the guilds logo. So I of course, trying to be unique, put the logo on the cake. He didn't recognize, at least not until I told him what it was. Oh well. I showed my niece how to make flowers for the cake. We made cala lilies and button flowers but in the end only the button flowers made the cut.
Okay, onto the cake. Since I was in NY I had to go berry picking, it is a must! So hubby, my friend and I went berry picking. We bought about 2 lbs of blackberries and raspberries (YUM!) Of course we didn't put all 2 lbs of berries in the cake. In case you are wondering what the name means... there is a pie called fruits of the forest which have strawberries, blackberries and raspberries in it. Well, my husband always calls it friends of the forest. When we went berry picking for the cake he kept calling it a friends of the forest cake. So I ran with it. Now of course the recipe is altered so that you can put berries on top instead of the design. I couldn't get a good picture of the inside of the cake but then again I was more wrapped up into eating it than taking a picture of it. I tried though.


Icing

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons water

1. In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add water and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Cake

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 c. raspberries
• 1 c. blackberries
• frosting

1. Bake cake according to box using two 8" or 9" round or square pans.
   
2. Mash half of the berries with a fork and set aside.
3. When cake cools level off the top of the cakes by slicing off the "mound" with a serrated knife, so that the cakes will set evenly on each other.
4. Place the first layer cut side down on the cake plate. Using tip 12 or any other wide tip outline the circumference of the cake with icing. Then spoon the filling on the top. Make sure not to go over the icing, this will help keep the berries from spilling out of the side of the cake. Sprinkle a handful of whole berries on top.
5. Place the next layer of cake on top cut side down. Frost the sides and top of the cake with icing.
   
6. Sprinkle the rest of the berries on top of the icing.

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