Recipes and Cooking Chocolate-Berry Wreath Cake 1 Review Chocolate cake draped in homemade chocolate frosting makes for a doubly delicious dessert recipe. This chocolate cake gets dressed up for the holidays with fresh berries placed to look like a festive wreath. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on October 6, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Andy Lyons Prep Time: 30 mins Bake Time: 35 mins Cool Time: 1 hr Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 12 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder (optional) 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup water ⅓ cup canola oil or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 recipe Milk Chocolate Butter Frosting 1 cup assorted berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and/or small strawberries 2 tablespoon strawberry jelly 1 recipe White Chocolate Bow(s) White Chocolate Bow(s) 2 ounce chopped white baking chocolate with cocoa butter or vanilla-flavor candy coating (1/2 cup) Milk Chocolate Butter Frosting 3 tablespoon butter, softened ¼ cup milk chocolate pieces, melted and cooled slightly 2 ½ cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x2-inch round cake pan or a 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. Shake and tilt pan to coat bottom and sides; shake out any excess cocoa powder. Set pan aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, espresso powder (if desired), baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl combine eggs, the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Gradually add egg mixture to flour mixture, beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Frost top and sides of cake with Milk Chocolate Butter Frosting. Arrange berries around outside edge of cake to resemble a wreath. Heat strawberry jelly until melted; brush evenly over berries. Place one or more White Chocolate Bow(s) on berry wreath. White Chocolate Bow(s) Line a small baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper; set aside. In a small saucepan heat and stir white chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. If desired, place melted white chocolate in a heavy resealable plastic bag; snip a small hole in one corner of the bag. Pipe or spoon white chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet to form 3- to 4-inch bow(s). Let stand until set (if necessary, place in the refrigerator until set). Carefully lift bow(s) off paper. Milk Chocolate Butter Frosting In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the melted and cooled chocolate. Gradually add half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar. Beat in enough additional milk to reach spreading consistency. Easy Chocolate Chunk-Cherry Cake: Prepare as directed through Step 2, except stir 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and chopped, and 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces into batter. Continue as directed.Per serving: 457 cal, 5 pro, 76 carb, 17 total fat, 7 sat fat, 41 chol, 3 fib, 254 sod. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 403 Calories 15g Fat 68g Carbs 4g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 403 % Daily Value * Total Fat 15g 19% Saturated Fat 6g 30% Cholesterol 41mg 14% Sodium 253mg 11% Total Carbohydrate 68g 25% Total Sugars 50g Protein 4g Vitamin C 1mg 5% Calcium 30mg 2% Iron 2mg 11% Potassium 178mg 4% Folate, total 36mcg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.