Salmonberry Cake Delight

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

To prevent the cakes from sticking, lightly coat two round cake pans with a non-stick cooking spray.

Next, extract the pulp and juice from 2 cups of salmonberries using a metal mesh strainer. Discard the solids that pass through the strainer, and transfer the remaining pulp and juice to a 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to the measuring cup to bring the total volume to 2 cups, stirring well throughout.

In a separate bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and 1 cup of the salmonberry pulp mixture. Blend the ingredients together using an electric mixer on low speed until they are just combined, roughly 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the mixture for an additional 2 minutes, until it is smooth.

Gently fold in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of whole salmonberries into the cake mixture, distributing them evenly throughout. Divide the cake batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Bake the cakes in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

While the cakes are baking, combine the remaining 1 cup of salmonberry pulp mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup of whole salmonberries, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly to prevent the mixture from burning or sticking to the pan, until it begins to simmer.

Once the cakes are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly. Use a fork to gently poke holes all over the top of each cake layer, allowing any excess moisture to escape. Pour half of the cooled salmonberry mixture over each cake layer, and allow them to cool completely before assembling the final dessert.