• Preheat your oven to 350 ºF or 175 ºC. Line 2x 6" round tins with greaseproof paper.

  NOTE if you only have one tin, make half of this recipe at a time and bake separately.
• In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can use a bowl and hand whisk if you don't have a stand mixer.
• Crack the eggs into a separate jug or bowl and add to the mix, one at a time. Add the vanilla.
• Add the flour and mix together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tins, swirling in some blackberry coulis to make it marbly. Coat some blackberries in flour and add them to the top of the cake mix - there's no need to push them into the mix, they'll naturally sink a little.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Every oven is different so this is only a guide. When the cakes are baked, allow to cool completely before assembling.
• Whilst the cake is baking, make the blackberry buttercream. Add the unsalted butter and icing sugar to your stand mixer bowl and beat well. Add the blackberry coulis and watch the icing turn a lovely shade of pink.

To Assemble The Cake

• Trim any uneven tops (domes) or darker edges from your cakes if you want - this is totally optional!
• Put one of your cakes on a cake board or plate and add a layer of blackberry jam. Pipe a layer of blackberry buttercream (you could spread this on with a knife if you like). Dot some fresh blackberries in the buttercream and add the top layer on.
• To coat the outside of the cake in buttercream, first coat the sides and then the top using a palette knife. Use a straight edged cake scraper, smooth the sides of the cake. You might find this easier to do if the cake has been chilled for a bit as it will be a bit firmer. Decorate with fresh blackberries and some herbs (I used thyme and lemon balm as that was all I had that looked nice!).