An easy, late summer layer cake with blackberries, chocolate and currants.
BLACKBERRY LAYER CAKE
10-12 SERVINGS
MUDCAKE:
30 G NEUTRAL OIL, FX RAPESEED OIL
100 G MINIMUM 55% DARK CHOCOLATE
50 G FRESHLY BREWED COFFEE
100 G FLOUR
1 TSP. BAKING SODA
½ TSP. BAKING POWDER
70 G SUGAR
10 G BLACK COCOA POWDER
10 G REGULAR COCOA POWDER
1 M/L EGG
140 G BUTTERMILK
Heat the oven to 180° degrees celsius.
Line the bottom of an 18 cm spring mould with baking parchment and grease the sides well.
Mix oil, chocolate and coffee in a saucepan and heat it all, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Sift in the cocoa to remove any lumps.
Stir the egg into the buttermilk in another bowl.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the chocolate mixture, stirring.
Then add in the buttermilk until everything is well miced together.
Pour the batter into the mould, wrap moistened tea towels around the mould to make sure it rises evenly.
Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Should the cake rise to dome shape, place a clean tea towel on top and press lightly down on the cake to flatten the top.
Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and it cool completely, before splitting it in two layers.
BLACKBERRY MOUSSE:
3 GELATINE SHEETS
200 G BLACKBERRIES, FROZEN CAN BE USED
2 TBSP. LEMON JUICE
80 G SUGAR
SEEDS OF 1 VANILLA POD
160 G HEAVY CREAM
160 G GREEK YOGHURT, 10% FAT
Soak the gelatine in cold water, approx. 5-10 min.
Cook the blackberries, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla seeds in a pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Blend the mixture and pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to make a blackberry syrup.
Squeeze the water out of the gelatine and melt it in the hot syrup. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the Greek yogurt.
Fold the cooled blackberry syrup into the cream until it has a even consistency and colour.
Pour the mousse into a piping bag and place it in the fridge for 1 hour, so it can set a bit.
ASSEMBLY:
Place the first cake layer on a plate, tighten an adjustable cake ring around it, with a piece of cake plastic around the sides.
Pipe a layer of mousse onto the cake.
Place the other cake layer on top with the cut side up so the top is flat.
Spread the rest of the mousse on the cake and smooth out the surface with the back of a wet spoon.
Cover the mould with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 3-4 hours, but preferably overnight.
DECORATIONS:
RED WOOD SORREL
200 G BLACKBERRIES
250 G RED CURRANTS
Remove the finished cake from the fridge 1-2 hours before serving so that it can come to room temperature.
Cut the blackberries in half and decorate the edge of the cake.
Put the red currants in the middle and garnish with red wood sorrel.