Make Ahead Meal

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar to flour mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat for 1 minute, until blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula.
• Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pans, dividing equally.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pans, then invert cakes onto rack to cool completely.
• Place one cake layer, flat side up, on a cake plate or platter. Spread ¾ cup (175 mL) of the frosting evenly over bottom layer. Top with the second cake layer, flat side down. Spread the remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. If desired, arrange berries decoratively on top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Good to Know: For the berries, try blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries. When assembling the cake, if you’ve trimmed the layers, place the bottom one cut side up and the top one cut side down.

Variation
If decorating the cake with berries, consider adding one more berry taste to the cake by spreading ⅓ cup (75 mL) seedless raspberry jam over the first cake layer before spreading it with frosting.

Storage
Store the frosted cake (without the berries) in the refrigerator in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or waxed paper, for up to 3 days. Alternatively, wrap the cooled, unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 6 months. Let cake layers thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours before frosting and serving.

Excerpted from Piece of Cake! By Camilla V. Saulsbury © 2011 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy (do not overbeat). Use immediately.