Driscoll's Berries Giveaway and Review

Who's busy making Halloween goodies? I sure was today, I made the Driscoll's Mixed Berry Halloween Graveyard Cake. It’s perfect for entertaining a crowd and the combination of the chocolate with the naturally sweet berries makes this a crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike.

Driscoll's is a family owned and operated business for over 100 years specializing in strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Be sure to check out their recipe selections for your upcoming Holiday events. You can follow along with Driscoll's on Twitter and Facebook. For a store near you check their list.

one little ghost fell in the dirt

So I made this cake a little different. I could not find any fresh blueberries, so raspberries and strawberries it was. Only 1 of the 3 stores I shop at had Driscoll's, well some Driscoll's. I also used a gluten free yellow cake mix, strawberry & raspberry preserves for the filling, easy chocolate frosting and crushed oreos for the dirt. I left the back corner free from any gluten products (cookies) for myself. I had a heck of a time dipping the strawberries, so I kind if painted the chocolate on and piped on little faces. I also propped the strawberrie ghosts up with toothpicks so they'd stay. The kids loved the decorations, but was not keen on the cake flavor itself, lol. We loved the berries though, wish I had dipped more.

Mixed Berry Halloween Graveyard Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Servings: 12

Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries combine to make a boo-tiful and delectable chocolate berry cake perfect for any Halloween celebration. Pureed blueberries are added to the chocolate cake batter and a sweet strawberry-raspberry jam fills the middle. Impress everyone with this clever and tasty treat.

Strawberry Ghosts and Tombstones

1 cup white candy melts
2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 pkg. (16 ounces) Driscoll's Strawberries
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

Assorted Halloween sprinkles, such as Jumbo Ghost Sprinkles

3 Milano cookies
6 cream filled chocolate cookies, such as Oreo's

Graveyard Cake

1 pkg. (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups) Driscoll's Blueberries
3/4 cup water

1 pkg. (18.25 ounces) devil food cake mix

1/3 cup oil
3 large eggs

Raspberry Strawberry Filling
1 pkg. (6 ounces or 1 1/3 cups) Driscoll's Raspberries

1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped Driscoll's Strawberries

1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Chocolate Ganache Whipped Frosting
2 cup heavy cream
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 pkg. (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups) Driscoll's Blueberries for garnish
1 pkg. (6 ounces or 1 1/3 cups) Driscoll's Raspberies for garnish

Instructions
Strawberry Ghosts and Tombstones
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine candy melts and shortening in large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly. Continue to microwave and stir at 30 seconds intervals until smooth and completely melted.
Dip strawberries into candy melt to coat completely, let excess drip off. Carefully place stem side down onto prepared cookie sheet. Let stand at room temperature or store in refrigerator 30 minutes or until coating is firm.

Spoon melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with Wilton tip # 3. Using melted chocolate place dots of chocolate as glue and arrange ghost sprinkles for eyes. Pipe on eyebrows and mouth, let stand until firm.

Arrange cookies on tray. Pipe saying onto each cookie.

Let stand at room temperature until coating is firm. In food processor blend cookies until fine crumbs, set aside.

Graveyard Cake

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour 2 (9-inch) square baking pans. Place 1 cup blueberries and water in bowl of a food processor. Puree 1 minute or until smooth.
Blend cake mix, blueberry mixture, oil and eggs with an electric mixer in large bowl on low speed just until moistened. Scrape sides of bowl.
Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in remaining blueberries. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Raspberry Strawberry Filling

Combine raspberries and 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries in food processor. Puree 1 minute or until smooth.
Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and berry puree in small saucepan until blended.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat stir in ½ cup chopped strawberries; set aside. Cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache Whipped Frosting

Bring heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat in medium saucepan. Whisk in chocolate. Whisk constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour chocolate into a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, chill 2 hours.

Beat chilled chocolate with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds or just until mixture is thickened and begins to hold a shape. Do not overbeat.

To Assemble
Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread raspberry strawberry filling to ½ inch from edge. Top with second cake layer.
Frost sides and top with ganache whipped frosting. Arrange blueberries around top edge of cake and raspberries around bottom edge of cake.
Sprinkle center top with cookie crumbs. Arrange strawberry ghosts and press cookies into cake, for tombstones.

Recipe courtesy of Driscoll’s, above Photograph courtesy of Driscoll’s. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

my gluten free corner piece

Boo

  

.
TWO "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" fans will each win $20 in Driscoll's coupons.




 

(This is a must before any extra entries will be accepted!)

* Become a MIH Blog Follower with Google Friend Connect (see side bar) and let me know what your favorite berries are.

Earn extra entries by showing some "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" bloggie ♥ .
- Please leave 1 separate comment for each entry.
.

* Subscribe to MIH in RSS/email feed

.

* Follow me on Twitter @MommyImHungry, leave your twitter name (tweet HI and I'll follow back)
.
* Tweet once daily about this giveaway using my Tweet buttons or use:
WOW! Check out this great $20 Driscoll's Giveaway, 2 winners! http://tinyurl.com/4yjd3dq @MommyImHungry #driscollsberry 
(comment here w/your daily link)
.

* Become a MIH Facebook Fan, and say a Hello on my fan page
.
* Follow along with my MIH recipe blog if you're hungry
.

This Giveaway ends: 11:59 pm PT, Monday, November 7, 2011.
- Open to Continental USA

- Please read my giveaway rules HERE

Be sure to check out my other giveaways too.

*Disclosure* I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Driscoll's. The product(s) in this review were provided to me in $1 off coupons for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Product info & stock images provided by PR or Co.