Chocolate Cake with Raspberries
Posted by Julie Makelberge on
Ingredients
For the sponge:
400 grams caster sugar
245 grams plain flour
80 grams cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium eggs
230 ml warm water
250 ml milk
130 ml vegetable oil
For the ganache:
200g dark chocolate, finely chopped
10g unsalted butter, at room temperature
300ml double cream
2 teaspoons caster sugar
To decorate:
500g fresh raspberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4.
Grease and base-line two 8in loose bottom cake tins.
For the cake, sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix together. Set aside.
Mix the water milk and oil together in a separate bowl, then lightly beat the eggs into the oil mixture.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three batches, mixing thoroughly between each addition, making sure there are no pockets of flour.
Divide your mixture evenly between the two cake tins.
Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Once baked, place on a wire rack and allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, carefully turn the cakes out upside on to the wire rack, remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
For the ganache, add the chocolate and butter into a bowl and set aside.
Add the cream and sugar to a medium saucepan and slowly bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate and butter.
Leave the hot cream to melt the chocolate without stirring for one minute and then stir until smooth and glossy.
Once smooth, leave it to cool and thicken before using, at least 20 minutes.
Place one cake on a serving plate and spread approximately four tablespoons of the ganache over the top with a palette knife or spoon.
Top with the second cake, turned upside down so the flat side is the top of the cake.
Gently press the two cakes together.
Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache and arrange the raspberries on top.